Every Rose has a Thorn
by Shatteredshadowflame
Summary: Time brings changes. What changes can occur when a certain pair of hedgehogs spend time together? Cover image credited to Aimyneko of DA.
1. Descent from light

Shadow stood at the edge of the cliff, his arms folded over the pale white fur of his chest. The ocean was calm today. A light wind was blowing, pushing small waves towards the cliffs that were the shoreline. The air was filled with the ocean's signature salty tang, the kind that one could taste in their mouth with every breath. If Shadow's eyes were open, he would see that the water itself was deep blue, each wave tipped with frothy white as it approached the shore. The sky was dotted here and there with wispy clouds, that looked more ashen smudges in a blue painting. The sun blazed brightly and hotly within that deep blue field, its energizing rays empowering the green grass atop the cliffs, warming the hedgehog through his obsidian fur. Normally, such a sight would have been admired by many, but the sheer cliffs gave the place an ominous feeling. For whatever reason, Shadow was the only one who came here to this place. And frankly, he preferred it that way.

In the two years since his decision to leave behind his past on Space Colony ARK, this place had slowly become his new place of solitude, a place where he could think without being disturbed. In those two years, many things had changed.

For one thing, he was now one of the top agents at the Guardian Unit of Nations, the very same organization that twice before had attempted to kill him, once two years ago when he had been suspected of collaborating with the alien army known as the Black Arms, whom had attempted to invade Earth and enslave its people, and fifty years before that, when the G.U.N had shut down Dr. Gerald Robotnik's Project Shadow, the research and development project that had resulted in his creation and for which he had been named. Fifty two years since the one person whom Shadow could call his friend had been murdered before his eyes. Fifty two years since he had made his promise.

Shadow snorted quietly. It was his promise that had led him to join the G.U.N after the Black Arms invasion in the first place. And it was his promise that had led him to this place now.

_ I made you a promise, Maria. I promised that I would give the people of this planet a chance to be happy, and I've kept that promise. I'm still keeping that promise. He sighed. But is that all I am? Will I forever be defending these humans from threats, even threats that they create themselves? Is my life to be a never-ending series of missions and battles? Is that how I am to spend eternity? I put my past behind me, but what is to be my future?_

Opening his eyes, he grimaced. There was something missing in his life, and the fact that he didn't know what it was irked him even more than that blue faker did. He turned and pulled the green Chaos Emerald that he kept on his person at almost all times from a pouch on his belt. The mysterious gem hummed and pulsed in his hand, and he could feel its energy tingling through his palm and up his arm, though Shadow knew that the feeling was dampened by the Inhibitor Ring on his wrist. Clasping the gem firmly, he concentrated.

"Chaos..."

"Cream! Here's some good ones!"

Ruby eyes flashed open, and Shadow tucked the glowing green gem back into its pouch. He turned, keeping his body loose but tense. Long practice had taught him to always be wary at the slightest hint of a threat, but the voice that had reached his ears sounded familiar to him.

* * *

Amy smiled as she stepped out of the trees and knelt, gently plucking the daisy from the ground and adding it to the small bouquet in her hand. The salty breeze coming over the cliffs ahead ruffled her quill-bangs, and she lifted the handful of flowers to her nose, breathing deeply. "Aaaaaaah. If only Sonic would give me flowers." she whispered wistfully.

Bouncing footsteps alerted her to her best friend's approach. She smiled and turned towards the brown rabbit that was skipping through the trees. Cream was wearing her favorite orange dress and orange clogs. The blue double-tailed tie on the front bounced with her happy movements as Cream came to a stop. "Those are lovely, Amy! Thank you." Her Chao friend Cheese buzzed in close and happily sniffed the bouquet of daisies. "Chao cha!"

Amy smiled and handed the bunch to her friend. "You can add these to your flower crown, I'm sure that your mom would love them."

Cream smiled back happily as she added the collection to her own, then suddenly paused. "Oh! Look Cheese, Mr. Shadow is here. Do you think he might like some flowers too?"

Both Amy and Cheese looked up, and much to Amy's surprise, there he was. Wearing his regular black cargo pants and black leather vest with red trim, as well as his personal Darkness air skates. Each pant leg had a red line running down the side. The two gold Inhibitor Rings locked around his wrists gleamed in the sunlight. By contrast, his obsidian fur seemed to absorb the light, while the crimson markings on his arms and quills had a blood-like glow to them, indicative of the alien Black Arms DNA within him.

Even from the thirty feet that separated them, Amy could feel the hybrid hedgehog's ruby eyes locking on to her. Taking a breath, she stood up. "Cream, why don't you and Cheese start working on your mom's flower crown, okay? I'll go talk to Shadow."

Her friend nodded and sat down, her Chao friend flitting close. Taking another breath, Amy swallowed nervously.

Shadow quietly regarded the pink hedgegirl as she approached him. Her red dress came nearly to her knees, billowing outward slightly in the ocean breeze. Her quills were arranged in bangs, and he could just see the red hairband within them. Her gloves were stark white, like his own, and the gold ring-like bracelets shone in the sunlight. His eyes traveled down her slim legs to her red boots, each with a white stripe running down the front. He grunted, then crossed his arms and turned back to the ocean. Rose's soft footsteps drew closer, then stopped, and he knew that she was standing behind him.

"Hi Shadow. How're you doing?"

He remained quiet for a moment. "Fine." He could tell that his short answer miffed her slightly, but chose to ignore it.

Silence reigned for a moment. "This place is amazing, isn't it. Is that why you are here?"

"My reasons for being here are my own."

Again, silence held sway, and Shadow could tell she was searching for something to talk about. "Cream and I were just out picking flowers for her mom."

"So I noticed. Couldn't find Faker today, I take it?" He smiled slightly, though he was careful to make sure that she didn't notice. Now he really had her irked.

"No. Sonic and Tails are out flying, keeping an eye out for any of Eggman's tricks."

Shadow grunted quietly. The manic doctor had been rather quiet recently, having not made any moves in months. It was obvious that Sonic had been starting to get antsy. "I see."

Amy sighed. Being around Shadow had always made her slightly nervous. Maybe it was because of his intimidating demeanor. Perhaps it was just his appearance, though he couldn't exactly help how he looked. Or maybe it was the cold and uncaring attitude that he always carried with him.

Still, despite the harsh way that he dealt with others, she was curious about him. She was somewhat familiar with his past, his history with the Black Arms aliens and Project Shadow on Space Colony ARK. But when it came to Shadow himself, he was utterly mysterious. Nobody could ever tell what he was thinking or anticipate what he would do, and he was a master of concealing his emotions and reactions, even better than Espio. _A wild card, that's what he is._ she thought.

Sighing again, she stepped up beside him and sat down, folding her legs beneath her red dress. "It really is beautiful here. Maybe when Sonic gets back, I'll get him to take me here on a date."

"Hmmph. Not likely."

She whipped her head up towards his scowling face, though his eyes stayed firmly fixed on the horizon. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

"It's obvious, Rose. Sonic has no interest in dating you, or anyone else for that matter."

Amy paused for a moment at his use of the name Rose, then jumped to her feet, her emerald eyes glaring at him. "You take that back! Sonic and I are meant to be together. It's just hard for him to find time."

For the first time since the conversation had started, Shadow turned his head, and Amy's temper cooled rapidly as he locked her with an expressionless gaze. "I doubt it. If there is one thing that Sonic does not have difficulty finding, it is time to do something. He is reckless and immature. If Sonic wanted to take you on a date, he would. So tell me: has he?"

Amy thought for a moment. "We've been on plenty of dates."

"And how many of them were his idea?"

"Sonic always saves me whenever I'm in trouble."

"Which he would and does do for any and all of his friends."

Amy could feel her temper rising again, and she had to resist the urge to whip her hammer from her back and pulverize him. Given that this was Shadow, she wouldn't even have a chance of getting close. "What's your point, Shadow?"

The expressionless mask he wore cracked slightly into a scowl. "Sonic has no desire for any kind of a relationship, or anything that would restrict his freedom. If you believe otherwise, and I have no doubt that you do, then prove me wrong." He turned and faced her fully, and if it weren't for the growing sense of outrage that she was feeling, she would have been rather intimidated. "Tell me one thing, ONE thing Rose, that Sonic the Hedgehog has done, of his own choice and invention, that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has any interest in pursuing you romantically."

Amy's fury peaked at his words. _How dare he! What does he know about any of this!_ She wracked her brain, trying to find SOMETHING to prove him wrong with, and her anger and outrage resumed its upward climb as nothing came to mind.

His scowl became slightly less pronounced, but was still present and obvious. "I didn't think so." He turned back to the cliff edge. "He doesn't love you, and he never will. The sooner you realize that, Rose, the happier you will be."

Amy seethed. "CREAM! Come on, your mom is probably expecting you back now." It was taking every ounce of her will-power not to try and bash him with her hammer, and if she stayed there any longer then she would definitely try. _Why am I so curious about a jerk like him again?_ she thought as she stalked away.

* * *

Shadow was careful to keep his emotions hidden, but inwardly he was frustrated. _How can she be so blind to what is staring her in the face?_

"Mr. Shadow?"

Surprised by the unexpected sound of Cream's voice, he turned and looked over his shoulder at the young girl. Sitting in her gloved hands was a small bracelet of woven flowers, the stems intricately entwined around each other so that it appeared to be only made of the flower heads. She offered the bracelet to him. "I made this for you. You don't have to wear it if you want, but I hope you like it."

He looked at the small bracelet. It looked barely big enough to fit around his hand. As gently as he could, he picked up the bracelet, regarding it carefully. _It really isn't my kind of thing, but if she went to all the effort..._ "Why did you make this for me?"

The rabbit girl tucked her hands behind her back and started rocking on her feet. "Because flowers are pretty, and pretty things make people happy. I wish everyone could have pretty things, so I give something made of flowers to everyone I meet. And I haven't given you anything yet." She smiled at him. "Do you like it?"

He regarded her carefully, keeping his expression neutral. _Again, since she went to all the trouble...I would hate to disappoint her._ Not being one for words of thanks, he just nodded.

Cream's smile widened. "You're welcome, Mr. Shadow."

"CREAM! LET'S GO!"

Shadow shifted his gaze to the trees, where Amy was impatiently tapping her foot and glaring at him. "Rose is right, your mother is probably waiting for you. You should go."

Cream nodded. "Okay. Come on Cheese, it's time to go." She turned, then stopped and looked at him. "I hope you have a nice day, Mr. Shadow." She turned again and ran towards her friend, and the two girls linked hands as they entered the forest.

Shadow gazed after them. "You too, Cream." he uttered under his breath. "And you, Rose." He looked at the flower bracelet again, and tried to slip it over his glove, just to see what it would look like. However, as he attempted to do so, the woven stems broke apart, and the flower heads fell limply to the ground. "Hmph." _Just like everything else._


	2. Piercing the Veil

Amy was happy. It had been two days since her confrontation with Shadow at the cliff, and she had had time to cool off. Not only that, but today was the day that Sonic and Tails were due to return from their investigation. The sun was shining, the sky was clear blue without a single cloud in the sky, her hero was returning, and everything was right with the world.

She started humming a tune, though she wasn't sure where she had heard it. _Today's the day. Sonic and I will go on a date, and we'll finally be together, like we should be. I can feel it._ She started skipping as she approached the air-strip next to Sonic and Tail's home. The entire complex had been a gift to Sonic from the President, as a thank you for all the times that Sonic had fought and defeated Dr. Eggman, as well as his aid in defeating the Black Arms. Of course, Sonic had taken the gift with barely a thought. He didn't have much concern about homes and that stuff. As long as he had room to run as he pleased, Sonic was happy.

A dull droning sound drew her attention to the sky, and Amy smiled. She could just make out the Tornado-1, Tails' customized bi-plane. The plane was the first vehicle that the two-tailed fox had designed and created from scratch on his own, though the design itself was modeled after previous variations of Sonic's old Tornado plane. The Tornado-1 was Tails' baby, and he was immensely proud of it.

Amy could barely suppress her excitement as the bi-plane descended towards the air-strip. As it grew closer, her heart started throbbing. There, crouched half-way out on the top-right wing, his quills held straight behind his head by the wind, was Sonic Hedgehog. He was wearing his usual blue t-shirt, blue jeans and red Power Shoes, his white gloved hands keeping a firm hold on the wing beneath him. Easily cutting the dare-devil figure, Sonic almost never rode in the plane anymore, preferring the feel of the wind in his face.

As the plane drew close to the ground, Sonic leaped off the wing, soaring through air, and hit the ground running, easily outstripping the bi-plane before skidding to a stop as if he hadn't just leaped off a moving aircraft.

Amy seized her opportunity, and promptly launched herself at him, wrapping him tightly in a crushing hug. The impact caught the blue hedgehog by surprise, knocking him off balance and teetering on the verge of falling. "Sonic! I'm so glad you're back!"

Sonic grimaced slightly. "Amy! Will ya get off me? I still gotta breath."

The pink hedgegirl promptly released him and giggled. "You're funny, Sonic. That's part of what I love about you. How was the flight?"

Sonic grinned cockily as he gave her a thumbs up, his emerald eyes practically glowing. "Sweet. Not quite as fast as runnin, if ya know what I mean, but you sure can't beat the view."

Amy smiled, then turned and waved as the Tornado-1 drew up beside them. "Hey Tails!" The sound of the roaring engine nearly drowned out her words. From within the open cockpit of the red Tornado-1, the yellow-orange Fox gave his own white-gloved thumbs up, before shutting off the engine. Thirty seconds later, he joined them, wearing his regular orange sweatshirt and blue jeans, his twin tails trailing behind him. What fur of his that was visible was streaked here and there with faded grease and oil stains, the result of the long hours he spent creating and maintaining his machines and inventions.

The younger fox smiled. "Hi Amy. How're you doing?"

The pink hedgegirl beamed in return. "I'm great, now that Sonic is here." She quickly latched onto her hero's arm, making him groan slightly and roll his eyes. "So, did you find out what Eggman is up to?"

Sonic slipped his arm from her grasp with a quick jerk. "Nah. It's kinda weird, but it seems like old Egghead's dropped off the face of the earth."

Tails nodded, sighing inwardly at Amy's obsessiveness. "We checked a bunch of his old bases, but they were all deserted. I'm thinking he's hidden a new base somewhere, but there's no telling where it might be."

Amy frowned. "Well, wherever he is, he's probably up to no good."

Sonic chuckled. "Yeah, Eggman doesn't just give up." He turned and started towards the house. "He's probably building some big flashy new robot, and when he shows his ugly mug, we'll trash it. Same as always." He gave a mock yawn. "Boooring. Right now, there's a chili dog with my name on it."

Instantly, Amy pounced on him again, nearly knocking him over. "Speaking of food, I know a great place for a date, Sonic. I'll grab some food for a picnic, then I'll show you where it is. It's sooooo romantic."

Sonic groaned. "Amy, you've gotta stop jumping on me like this." With a quick shake, he dislodged the girl and poured on the speed, shooting into his kitchen within seconds.

Seconds later, Amy had joined him. "Come on, Sonic! I haven't seen you in over a week!" She paused to look around the room. Dirty dishes covered practically every surface. "Eww. This place could use a cleaning." She turned her attention back to the blue blur as he popped his favorite food into the microwave. "You're always running off somewhere, you never have time to just hang out. Come on, you'll love this place. I found it when Cream and I were out picking flowers for Vanilla."

Sonic rubbed his forehead. _This girl just doesn't know when to quit, does she?_ "Fine, I'll go, as long as you stop bugging me about it." _How long is it going to be until she figures out that I'm not interested?_

Instantly, his head thumped into the microwave as Amy glomped him again. "Yay! It'll be great! I'll go find a picnic basket!" And with that, she disappeared into the house.

Sonic rubbed his forehead again, this time to relieve the bruise. "What am I going to do with this girl?" he wondered. A familiar spicy scent filtered into the air, and his attention span zeroed in on the microwave as it beeped. "Ah, now this is exactly what I needed. Come to poppa, you delicious masterpiece."

* * *

The gray walls of the facility were turning into a seamless blur as Shadow skated through the corridors. Gliding to a stop at an intersection, he glanced around the corner. _Only three patrols since infiltration? Either Dr. Eggman is getting lax in his security, or something isn't right here._

A pair of Eggbots, large rotund robots roughly half again Shadow's height, clunked past the other end of the corridor. Checking his pistol for the third time, he effortlessly sped down the corridors, moving quickly and quietly. _Based on previous patrols, I have another two and a half minutes before the next one comes. Far more than enough time._ Pausing, he pulled a small device from his belt and stuck it to the side of a column set against the wall, the device's magnet fixing it in place.

Moving quickly again, he soon arrived at a closed door. Tapping a code into the keypad, the door opened with a faint **whoosh**, and he stepped inside, the micro-engines in his air-skates thrumming against the soles of his feet as they powered down. The room was dark, save for the distant glow of a computer screen set against the far wall. Slowly approaching the keyboard, his crimson gaze hardened slightly. "Okay, Dr. Eggman. Let's see just what you are up to."

His triangular ears swiveled back as they picked up the faint **whoosh** of the door, and he spun around, smoothly drawing his pistol from its holster at his hip as he dropped into a crouch. His entire body was tensed and ready to move, and yet his expression remained neutral and disinterested.

White boots with pink hearts on the toes tapped the metal floor, ascending up to a form-fitting black jumpsuit over a curvaceous body. A large pink heart-shaped breast plate covered an obviously female chest. Elbow-length white gloves covered slim arms and hands, which were firmly planted on the woman's hips. Large triangular ears projected up from a white fur-covered head. Black wings were folded close to the woman's back.

Rouge the Bat smiled, her bright green eyes gleaming in the dark. "Well, you certainly know how to make a girl feel welcome, Shadow." Her low, breathy voice carried through the darkness, making Shadow's ears twitch slightly.

Rising to his feet, Shadow slipped his pistol back into its holster. "You expected anything less?"

Rouge raised her hands and shrugged. "Oh, I suppose not. I assume that you finished your part?"

Shadow dipped his head only slightly. "Of course. You?"

The seductive bat smiled as she entered the room, her hips swaying widely as she walked. "Naturally. Shall we see what Old Egghead is hiding now?"

Shadow nodded, stepping aside to allow her access to the computer behind him. "Hurry up. We have a deadline."

Rouge slid him a cool look. "Beauty this good can't be rushed. Besides, we've got plenty of time." Shuffling her wings a little, she sat down at the computer and swiftly began hacking into the base's mainframe. "I'm in. For all his mechanical and programming genius, Eggman's security leaves much to be desired." She smiled as she slid him another look. "Kind of like me."

Shadow grunted and leaned against the wall as he crossed his arms, his fingers tapping impatiently against his upper arm. "Two minutes." Shadow had been working with Rouge for a long time now, and was used to her flirtatious behavior. They both knew that nothing would ever come of it, what with Shadow being generally uninterested and Rouge having far too much fun to actually settle down. But, at the same time, both would have each other's backs in a heartbeat. Shadow could safely say that Rouge was one of the few people he trusted to any extent.

He snorted quietly. _Which says a lot, considering that when she's not on a mission she's a jewel thief, a club owner, and a treasure hunter._

"Ah ha! Here we go."

Shadow glanced at Rouge, who wore a rather satisfied expression on her face. His gaze shifted to the computer screen, where a diagram of a large battleship was displayed.

Rouge grinned at him. "Am I good, or what?"

The crimson and ebony hedgehog leaned over the keyboard, studying the diagram. "Hmm. So, Dr. Robotnik is reviving the Egg Carrier, is he?"

Rouge nodded as she leaned back in the chair, her wings carefully arranged behind her. "And then some. According to these design plans, he's making some major upgrades, with some pretty heavy power requirements." Her brow creased slightly. "Chaos power requirements."

Shadow narrowed his gaze slightly. So, once again, the doctor needs all the Chaos emeralds. He could feel the faint pulse of energy in the pouch at his belt. _Well, he won't be getting at least one of them without a fight, which he won't easily win, if at all._ "Download it, so we can get going. It was far too easy getting here."

Rouge nodded as she plugged a small portable hard drive into a slot on the console. "I might prefer easy jobs to hard ones, but I agree with you there. You'd think somebody would have figured out that we were here by now."

Shadow turned and scanned the room, which while shrouded in darkness, gave the impression of immense size. He didn't like this at all, it felt too much like a set up. _There should have been more Eggbots on patrol. Eggman's paranoia about Sonic is practically a legend in itself. So where are they?_

"Hmm."

He glanced back at his partner, who was frowning deeply. "What is it?"

Rouge tapped out a couple commands. "There's another file here, along with the Egg Carrier 3, but it's a much smaller size."

Shadow leaned on the console, his fingers tapping impatiently. "What's your point?"

The bat girl raised a gloved hand and pointed at the screen. "So, why would a much smaller file be so much more encrypted? I can't say exactly for certain, but at first guess I'd say this one little file has more security than G.U.N headquarters, and you know how paranoid those boys are." She typed out more commands, and her irritated frown deepened when the computer refused to yield. "Damn it. All I can get is a name. Project Mecha."

Shadow grunted. "Hmph. With Robotnik, Mecha could mean anything. Download it, let the G.U.N's technicians break it open. We're out of time."

"Indeed you are, Shadow."

Shadow's ears twitched at the booming voice as it echoed around the room. Just as Rouge pulled the hard drive from the computer console, the screen flickered, revealing the face of an older bald man with a rather massive, unkempt mustache. Round blue sunglasses obscured the man's eyes.

Shadow crossed his arms as Rouge stood up. "Dr. Robotnik. It's been a while."

Eggman scowled slightly. "Too long, Shadow. I was rather disappointed to learn that you had joined the G.U.N. With your unique skills and my genius, we could have gone a long way together."

Shadow scowled back, but for the most part that was what he did normally. _Yes, right up until you decide that I'm no longer useful to you. Not likely._

The Dr.'s screen image shifted slightly. "And Rouge, the jewel thief who would be a spy. How are you my dear?" His voice was practically dripping with sarcasm.

Rouge slipped the tiny hard drive inside her breast plate, smiling seductively. "Dashing as ever, Eggy. Still chasing hedgehogs, are you?"

"Not for long, my dear, not if my new Egg Carrier 3 will have anything to say about it. Once I have removed that pesky ball of thorns, it won't be long before the whole world will be mine."

Shadow tapped his foot slightly. "As much as I enjoy reminiscing, Doctor, we were just leaving."

Eggman frowned. "So soon? That's too bad, I was just starting to enjoy your company." His frown twisted into a wicked grin. "But I'm afraid that you can't leave." He pressed a button on his console. "By order of the Egg Emperor!"

Abruptly, the massive computer room became brightly lit, and multiple sections of the walls retracted into the ceiling. From within the openings, a veritable army of Eggbots marched, practically filling the room, save for a section of the floor, which irised open. Gradually, a massive robot, of a similar design as the Eggbots, rose out of the hole on a platform. A scepter-like mace was held in its hand, and crown-like spikes projected up from the machine's small head.

Shadow and Rouge stood back to back, and the half-alien hedgehog studied the new arrivals. _As I figured._

"I was wondering where all your little toys had gone, Eggman." Rouge's voice was as breathy and seductive as ever, but Shadow detected a faint hint of nervousness. _Unsurprising. Rouge is an excellent fighter, but we are considerably outnumbered. Too bad that it doesn't matter, I almost would have enjoyed the challenge._

Eggman leaned back in his chair, interlocking his hands over his ample stomach. "I was really saving this for Sonic, but since you were so obliging to come here, I thought that I might as well test it out on you two."

Slowly, Shadow moved until he was facing the computer screen, and Dr. Eggman's smug expression. "I have something you want." Reaching into the pouch at his belt, he withdrew the glittering green Chaos Emerald.

Eggman's brow creased. "Ah, a Chaos Emerald. How wonderful. A trade then. Your lives for the Emerald." Rouge slipped a remote detonator from her waist, smiling as she understood Shadow's plan. "Five seconds." She whispered as she felt his hand encircle her free wrist.

Shadow shook his head ever so slightly. "I said that I have something you want." For once, Shadow grinned. There was nothing humorous in the expression, and even though he knew that it was only through a computer screen, Eggman couldn't help but sweat a little. "I didn't say that I was going to give it to you. Chaos Control!"

As he said it, Rouge pressed the button on the detonator, and the pair disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Eggman sighed and rested his head on his hand as the image before him dissolved into static. "It seems that I will need to alter my plans a little."

* * *

Amy happily walked through the forest, chattering the entire way. She was ecstatic, unbelievably happy to finally have Sonic all to herself. It wouldn't be long before they reached the cliff, and then everything would be perfect.

Sonic, for his part, was bored. Amy would natter on about the smallest things, and while he would occasionally find something funny and laugh, for the most part, he found the whole situation to just be far too slow. The only bright point was that occasionally Amy would open the picnic basket on her arm, and he would catch a whiff of the mess of chili dogs inside, and his stomach would move in appreciation.

Amy sighed. "Oh, isn't this wonderful Sonic? Don't you wish that we could do this all the time?"

Privately, Sonic rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, this is great. When are we gonna get to this place anyway?"

Amy giggled. Sonic always was so impatient. "It's not too much farther. Oh, did I tell you that I ran into Shadow there?"

Sonic blinked, his boredom momentarily averted. "Huh? You saw Shadow?" _Well, maybe this won't be so bad after all. I might even get some fun out of this if Shad's gonna be there._ "Haven't heard from him in years."

Amy nodded. "Yeah. He didn't say why he was there." She smiled when Sonic shrugged. "You know, I kinda worry about Shadow. I know that he likes to be alone, but still, you can't just isolate yourself like that. It's not good for a person."

Sonic shrugged again. "I'm pretty sure that Shads always been like that. Besides, he can take of himself. He's the Ultimate Lifeform, remember?"

The sarcasm in his voice made Amy frown slightly. "I guess." She shook her head. "He said some pretty ridiculous things though. He kinda made me mad, but that was a week ago."

Sonic could guess what sort of things Shadow had said. _That is one hedgehog who's not afraid to speak his mind._ He jerked in surprise a little when Amy suddenly wrapped herself around his arm. "Uh, sure."

Amy sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder. "This is so dreamy, Sonic. I can hardly wait until we're married."

Sonic sighed, but for an entirely different reason. _Okay, this has gone on long enough. I gotta put a stop to this._ Extricating his arm from her grasp, he turned and stopped her. "Ames, I gotta tell you something."

Amy frowned for a moment, then her eyes widened. _Oh my god, he's going to tell me he loves me! Oh, I kinda wish he could have waited until we got to the cliff, but this is as good a place as any. Okay Amy, stay calm. It's only your greatest dream that's about to come true. No big thing._ "Sure, Sonic, what is it?" she asked calmly, her heart thumping against her ribs.

Sonic shifted uncomfortably. _Why did I have to do this?_ "It's really important, and I probably should have said it years ago."

Amy swallowed, her mouth going dry. "It's okay, Sonic. Go ahead." _Here it is! Oh, I can't believe it's really about to happen!_

The blue hedgehog rubbed his quills._ Okay, this is going to hurt, so just say it fast and get it over with._ "We're not getting married."

Amy blinked, surprised. _Uh, okay, not quite what I was expecting._ "Well, sure, I mean, we don't have to do it right away..."

Sonic shook his head. "No, I mean, we're not getting married, ever. Ames, you're a great friend, and I like hanging out with you every now and then, but I'm not your boyfriend. Never have been."

She stared at him in shock. "wh, what?"

Taking an uneasy step backwards, in case she decided to flip out on him and pull her hammer from her back, Sonic continued. "Look, I don't want a girlfriend, Ames. I'm not that kind of guy. I love being with my friends, but I can't have anything that will keep me down like that, that's not who I am." He sighed helplessly. "We can still be friends, I'd like that, but I'm not going to date you, or marry you. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is."

For a moment, Amy stood absolutely still. _This can't be happening. This isn't right. It shouldn't be happening like this!_ "Buh, but I..."

Sonic sighed, and turned around. "We've never been anything more than friends, Ames, and that's all we'll ever be. Okay? The sooner you understand that, the better off you'll be."

If anything, Amy was known for her volatile temper. Normally, she was a very friendly, cheerful person who enjoyed helping others. However, it did not take much to set her off. Having the fantasy life that she had created in her mind utterly shattered, was more than sufficient to ignite her fury. Shock turned to grief, which then rapidly morphed into indignant, righteous (in her mind at least) fury.

Whipping her hammer from her back, Amy lunged at the blue hedgehog, who was saved only by her yell of rage and his naturally lightning-fast reflexes. The force of the hammer blow left a small crater in the ground, and judging from the look of sheer murder in her eyes, she wasn't going to stop.

"Geez, calm down Ames!" Sonic shouted as he backpedaled frantically.

**Ba-thoom!** "Don't call me 'Ames', you jerk! How can you do this to me!" Tears began building in Amy's eyes as she repeatedly attempted to turn her former love into a flat blue mark on the ground, and each time Sonic easily avoided the impending strike.

Sonic could tell that there was no reasoning with Amy. "Look, I get that you're upset, but this is nuts. We'll talk when you've calmed down, I'm outta here." And with that, Sonic shot into the trees, inwardly thankful that he had managed to avoid serious injury.

Furious beyond rational thought, Amy gave pursuit. "Sonic! Get back here, you stupid bastard!" Within seconds, however, she had lost him, which only served to fuel her rage.

Needless to say, any living thing that was remotely capable of hearing stayed well away from her.


	3. Lighting the Spark

It took a couple hours, but eventually, Amy's fury broke. She was sitting on her knees in the dirt, head bowed in a clearing of her own making. The ground around her was rippled and broken, even heaped in small piles at places. Before her, the broken remains of what had once been a tree, who's branches had somewhat vaguely reminded her of Sonic.

Eventually, she rose to her feet, picked up her hammer, and started walking, leaving behind her a small patch of wet dirt. She didn't pay much attention to where she was going, she was far to involved with her own thoughts. Her passage was followed by her sobs and hiccups, as well as a small trench as she dragged her hammer behind her.

_Sonic doesn't love me. What am I supposed to do now? I spent years chasing him, being in love with him, dreaming of the life we could have together, and now all of that has been broken and crushed._ Amy's heart ached, and for a moment, she wished that she could be as fast as Sonic, so that she could just run and leave the pain behind, but her wish only made the pain worse.

Eventually, though exactly when and how she couldn't quite remember, Amy found herself at the cliff. The sun was just starting to set, burning the distant clouds with shades of red, orange and yellow. The ocean was flat as a mirror, with not even a single breath of wind to mar its surface. But now, the view was lost on Amy.

Falling to her knees again, her hands tightened into fists, making the wooden haft of her hammer creak slightly. Her eyes clenched tightly shut, but the tears leaked out despite, or perhaps in spite, following now familiar channels down her face, and dying the pink fur under her chin to purple. And so she remained like that, her shoulders shaking as she cried.

"What are you doing?"

Were it not for the torrent of grief raging in her heart, Amy would have froze at the low, rough voice behind her, but as it was she hiccuped as her breath caught in her throat.

* * *

Shadow gazed at the shaking back of the girl, his brow furrowed in concern. His return from the infiltration of Eggman's base had been routine and uneventful, a standard briefing. As usual, he had teleported here with Chaos Control, to distance himself from others so that he could think, only to find Amy kneeling in the dirt by the edge.

The pink hedgegirl's shoulders slumped, and her head bowed even further. "You were right."

Shadow folded his arms over his chest, his expression utterly neutral. "About?"

Slowly, Amy got to her feet and turned, her emerald eyes shimmering with her tears. "About Sonic. He told me that he didn't love me, that we were never going to be together."

The obsidian and crimson hedgehog nodded. "So, faker actually worked up the courage. For once, I'm impressed."

Amy looked down at the ground. "You're not very good at comforting people, are you."

"Hmph. If you are expecting sympathy, I'll dismiss that delusion right now. This mess is of your own creation."

His words struck her deeply, like a hot knife thrust into her heart. "What do you mean, are you saying that this is my fault?"

Shadow nodded, absently noting a faint change in the pulse at his belt. _Hmm. So the emerald is reacting to her emotions._ "That is exactly what I am saying. I don't like to repeat myself, Rose. When has Sonic shown any interest in pursuing anything more than a friendship?"

Fresh tears began to fill Amy's eyes. "Shadow..." _Why is he doing this? Why is he being so cruel?_

Shadow slowly approached her, until they were almost nose to nose, his ruby eyes fixing her emerald ones with a cold stare. He was only a few inches taller than her, but at that moment, it seemed to Amy that he loomed over her like a giant. "You made this delusion for yourself. You put yourself in this situation. And now it is up to you to get yourself out." And with that, he turned and walked back towards the forest.

The only warning that he had was the faint rush of air, but for Shadow, that was more than sufficient. Taking a single step to the side, he watched as the heavy hammer head smashed into the ground, then turned and looked at the enraged expression on Amy's face. "Hmph. Predictable."

Amy seethed at his arrogance. "You jerk. I just got my heart broken, and you have the gall to tell me that it's MY fault?"

Again, Shadow fixed her with a cold, indifferent stare. "I told you, I don't like to repeat myself. If you were expecting me to tell you that you will be okay, you are sorely mistaken. It is time that you dealt with the fact that reality tends to be very harsh on those who spend all their time living in a fantasy world."

Amy hefted her hammer and swung again, and this time Shadow ducked underneath the attack without moving from his spot. Again and again, she attempted to strike him, and each time he avoided the blow with minimal effort. Finally, after the umpteenth time, he stepped closer, grabbed her hammer, and planted his foot in her stomach. The cold glare that locked onto her eyes pierced Amy's rage, like a bucket of ice cold water, and he pushed her away, sending her falling down into the dirt.

Shadow tossed the hammer beside her. "Pitiful."

Amy broke, a deluge of fresh tears coursing down her face. "Well then what am I supposed to do!" she shouted, her voice cracking in her desperation.

The cold stare that he fixed her with froze her breath mid-sob. "Move on. As long as you continue to be as weak as you are now, you will never be able to free yourself from him. You will always be needing him to rescue you, and you will always experience this, 'heart break', as you call it." With that, he turned and walked back towards the forest again.

"So train me."

Shadow paused, his ears twitching slightly. _What?_

* * *

Amy picked herself up from the dirt, her eyes burning. _Shadow might be an asshole sometimes, but he always speaks the truth. As long as I rely on others to save me when I'm in trouble, I'll never be able to leave Sonic._ "You're the Ultimate Lifeform, right? So you can train me to be stronger."

Shadow turned back towards her, and for a moment, Amy was actually afraid. His eyes always seemed so cold and indifferent, but now they possessed an intensity that she hadn't seen in a long time, and she could never forget that she was dealing with someone who could crush the life out of her as easily as she could crush an insect with her hammer. "Don't be ridiculous."

Amy, however, refused to back down. "Why? What's so ridiculous about training me?"

"Because I have far more important things to be doing than wasting my time with you." He turned and walked into the forest, and Amy's hopes dropped.

Sighing, she picked up her hammer. "Fine. If he won't train me, then I'll have to train myself." Taking a few practice swings, she started going through her moves, slowly at first, then picking up speed. _Lets see what Sonic thinks when he finds that I don't need him anymore!_

**Ba-thoom! Ba-thoom!** Again and again, she pounded her hammer into the ground, crushing imaginary robots. She became more and more focused, racing from one move to another. So focused was she, that the outside world seemed to recede away.

Then the outside world decided to intrude. As she moved to make another swing, Shadow was suddenly there, grabbing the haft of her hammer. His other hand slammed into her wrist, breaking her grip, and before she had even had time to acknowledge the fact that he was there, he whipped around and slammed her hammer into her back, catapulting her into a tree.

Dazed for a moment, she shook her head and picked herself up from the ground. "Hey! What was that for? Decided that you wanted to come for a second round of Beat On Amy?"

Her words died in her mouth, however, when she saw the look in his eyes and the serious expression on his face. It was an expression that she hadn't seen in nearly two years, not since the Black Arms invasion, just before Shadow had left her and the others paralyzed to pursue Black Doom. And in that moment, it was an expression that made her incredibly nervous and scared.

Shadow shifted his glance to the hammer in his hand, then tossed it at her. "If you want me to train you, then prove that you won't be a complete waste of my time."

Picking up her hammer, Amy nodded. Taking up her normal stance, she made a rapid series of swings. Each one he dodged with little effort, then stepped in close and punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs with a **whoof**.

With a struggle, she managed to get back up, and after seeing his unchanged expression, attacked him again. For nearly an hour, they continued like this, Amy charging him with attacks, Shadow effortlessly avoiding them, and then quickly taking her down with one or two hits, as the mood struck him. Finally, after the umpteenth time, Shadow stepped back. "Enough."

By then, Amy was leaning on her hammer, breathing heavily. "What?"

"As you are now, it's almost insulting how easy it is to defeat you. You aren't worth my time."

Amy hung her head, gritting her teeth. _All those hits, just to tell me what he's already said? I thought that he didn't like to repeat himself!_

"But,"

She looked up. Shadow was standing a few feet away, a green Chaos Emerald in his hand. His ruby eyes locked with hers, and to Amy's weary mind, Shadow almost seemed to be amused. "I will be here at 5:00 tomorrow morning. If you still wish for me to train you, you will be here before then. You will be wearing something more suitable for training then that dress, because I will be unrelenting. You will get dirty. You will get injured, though most will be minor, unless you are exceptionally stupid. Furthermore, it would be best if you said farewell to any and all of your friends, because you will not be seeing them for some time."

Shadow's expression changed subtly, and he now definitely seemed to be amused. That in itself was enough to make her nervous, because if Shadow found something funny, chances were that whomever he was with wouldn't. The look in his eyes seemed to suggest that he knew exactly how much pain she was about to go through, and that he took a certain amount of pleasure from that knowledge.

And yet, his expression seemed encouraging as well, like he could also see the kind of person that Amy would be if she followed him. She felt like this could be the start of something new, that with his help, she would not only become a stronger person, but a better one as well.

And so, Shadow nodded as he tossed the Emerald in his hand. "But if I find you here, then by the time I am done with you, you **might** have been worth my time." He gave her one last look, as if daring her to come. "Chaos Control." With a flash of blue light, he disappeared.

And Amy ran for home.


	4. Journey into Darkness

_Shadow stood in the observation room of the ARK, gazing down at the blue planet far below. His arms were folded over his chest, his ruby eyes pitiless as he waited._ Soon, Maria. Soon, these pathetic humans will pay for what they did.

_"Shadow! Please, you have to help them!"_

_ The black and crimson hedgehog blinked as he heard her voice. He had learned that her name was Amy Rose, though that fake blue hedgehog was apparently known to call her 'Ames' at times. He smiled faintly. _

_ "It's all going according to plan. There's no need for me to help them. Besides, there's no way to save everyone."_

_ He heard the faint sound of her coming closer. "There has to be! I know that people fight over the most trivial things. Some people may be selfish, like the professor said."_

_ Shadow sighed quietly. He knew this already. It was the whole reason for what had happened fifty years ago, and for what was happening now. "Correct. These humans are selfish and destructive. Whatever happens, they have earned."_

_ "Not everyone is like that! People are basically good, if they try their best, and never give up on their wishes, then they will always have a reason to be happy. That's why you have to help them out. Saving them is a good thing."_

_ His eyes narrowed. Something about her words...they seemed to echo in his memory, like he had heard them before, like they were familiar. Again and again, they circled in his head, a call through time and space..._

_ "Shadow, I beg you, please do it for them! Give them a chance!"_

**Shadow, I beg of you, please do it for me, for a better future.** _Shadow's eyes shot open, and his breath froze in his lungs. His mind reeled as memory broke upon him, and he pressed his hand against the tempered glass in front of him._ Maria...this isn't what I promised at all! How could I have forgotten? That is what I promised her, and I must keep that promise. That's what Maria wished for.

_ "Shadow?" The hedgegirl's voice was tentative and questioning._

_ A single tear collected in his eye, and slid down his face._ Amy Rose. How apt a name. Thank you for reminding me. _"I've got to go now." He turned and spared her a single glance, all that he had time for. "I've got to keep my promise to Maria." He paused. "And to you."_

* * *

Shadow opened his eyes, grimacing slightly as he gazed down on the city below him from the skyscraper. _My promise. Again, it comes down to my promise. Is this to be my future? Fighting, training, and repeating?_

He sighed, and lifted the red tab of his glove, looking at the comm-unit attached to his wrist. 4:59:50. _If she isn't there by now, then she never will be._ Taking one last glance over the city, he pulled the Chaos Emerald from its pouch at his belt and concentrated on the cliff. The gem's energy made his hand tingle, and for a moment he marveled at how such a small object could contain so much power. He closed his eyes. "Chaos Control."

When the salty scent of the ocean entered his nose, he opened them and gazed out over the sea. He had landed only a few inches from the edge, but he had made this jump so many times over the last few years, it hardly fazed him. Today, however, was different, for he could instinctively sense that he wasn't alone.

"So, you decided to show."

Amy gazed at the two spines that projected from his shoulder blades through his jacket. She was wearing her outfit from the EX World Gran Prix, consisting of a close-fitting pink and white mini-dress and pink sweatpants, each leg possessing a white stripe down the side, as well as a pair of red and white lace-up shoes. Sitting on the ground beside her was a duffel bag of similar clothes, as well as her hammer.

Clenching her hand slightly, she took a calming breath. "Did you think that I wouldn't?"

Shadow turned, and again she found herself transfixed by his piercing gaze. "I've learned that there tends to be a separation between those who actually make the effort to change, and those who just talk about it. Until someone demonstrates that they are the former, I don't expect much."

Like herself, Shadow was wearing sweatpants, though that was the only difference between them and his previous cargo pants. He still wore his black leather vest, and based on the ruff of white fur that was visible from the top, he wasn't wearing a shirt. As per normal, he was wearing his Darkness air skates.

Walking over towards her, he raised the tab on his glove and pressed a button on his comm-unit, shutting down the device. He didn't want any distractions, nor anyone intruding on them. "We'll begin immediately. Grab your things, we're leaving."

Shouldering her bag and hammer, Amy frowned at him. "Where are we going?"

Shadow simply looked at her as he reached inside his vest, withdrawing his Chaos Emerald. "Somewhere quiet." He concentrated, drawing a place from memory. His recollection was a bit hazy, it had been a long time since he had been there. Still, it would be perfect for what he wanted. "Close your eyes. Chaos Control!"

Amy barely had time to follow his command. In the space of an instant, the salty tang of the ocean air was replaced with the crisp, piney scent of a mountain forest. Opening her eyes, she gasped slightly. "Wow. I've never moved through Chaos Control before."

The corner of Shadow's mouth quirked slightly. "Which is why I told you to close your eyes. Seeing your surroundings instantly and drastically change can be disorienting for those who aren't used to it." He slipped the shimmering green gem back inside his vest.

Amy looked around in awe. The trees that surrounded them towered into the sky, some with trunks as thick as her arm was long. The ground beneath them was carpeted in fallen leaves, twigs, and moss, causing her feet to actually sink down a couple millimeters. A faint mist hung in the air like a blanket, hushing any and all sounds. The forest possessed a heavy sense of age, like an ancient place frozen in time.

Shadow studied her as she looked around. It was rare that he had an opportunity to be alone with someone like this, but he had no time to gawk. They were there for training, and that was what they were going to do. "Let's get started. Here is how this is going to work. First, you will not question my methods." When she turned to look at him, their eyes locked, and he could just see the determination in them. _We'll see how long that lasts._ "You have chosen to have me to train you, which means I will decide how your training will progress. It will be harsh, forcing you to not only push yourself beyond your limits, but also testing your resolve. If you get back up, then we shall continue. Stay down, and I will take you back, and we will not attempt this again."

She nodded, though she wasn't sure what he meant by that. _Somehow, I think I'm about to find out._

Shadow nodded in return, and took his jacket off. Amy gulped slightly. Shadow's upper body was firm and well-built, the muscles on his stomach somewhat masked by his short ebony fur, while his chest bore a longer and thicker ruff of pale white fur. Two brown sashes crossed over his chest, one attached to a small pouch on his right side, the other to a gun holster on his left. Within the holster was a pistol. "Why do you carry a gun?"

Shadow glanced at her as he dropped his jacket, sliding the sashes off. "For the same reason that you carry a hammer. Because it is a tool that I use." He relaxed his body, taking slow breaths. "Now, enough talk. It is time to see what you are made of."

Amy nodded, dropping her bag as she gripped her hammer with both hands. "So, how are we going to do this? Am I whoof!" She barely had time to blink before Shadow rushed forward, his fist slamming into her stomach, driving the breath from her lungs. Without missing a beat, he swept her feet out from under her with his leg, and hurled her backwards. When she hit the ground, she simply laid there for a second, trying to get her wind back, before pushing herself up.

"What the hell was that?"

Shadow simply gazed at her neutrally, waiting to see what she would do. "No real enemy will give you warning of an attack, why should I?"

Gritting her teeth, Amy firmly gripped her hammer and glared at him. "Okay then." Steadying herself, she raced forward, bringing her hammer around in a powerful swing from the side. Much to her surprise, however, Shadow spun inside her guard, grabbing the haft of her weapon as he elbowed her stomach, her grip growing slack as for the second time she gasped for breath.

Shadow turned and watched her stagger backwards, his expression the whole while neutral and indifferent. Amy knew that she didn't have a hope of beating him, but did he have to look so damn **careless** all the time? Finally managing to take a full breath, she straightened.

"Can I have my hammer back?"

The obsidian and crimson hedgehog glanced at the weapon in his hand, then back at her, and the expression in his eyes made her burn. "Take it back."

She waited for a moment, and then Shadow struck. Tucking in close, he shot towards her with a Spin Attack, knocking her off her feet, then came back with two consecutive Homing Attacks, once again leaving her lying on her back in the dirt.

She stared up at the sky, dazed slightly. _Now I know a little about how Eggman feels every time he fights Sonic._ "You didn't give me my hammer."

Shadow simply stood over her head, gazing down at her with that same frustratingly impenetrable mask as he folded his arms over his chest, her hammer still in his hand. "I didn't say that I would give it you. I told you to take it back."

Gritting her teeth again, Amy rolled into her stomach and pushed herself up. "Fine! I will." _Okay, lets see how much I remember._ Launching herself at Shadow, she threw a rapid series of punches and kicks, all of which Shadow dodged without any apparent effort. Faster and faster she attacked him, but she couldn't even get close to her hammer.

As abruptly as any of his attacks, he struck back, his fist slamming into her chest. "Uncoordinated." Spinning behind her, she cried out as his elbow rammed into the small of her back. "Inefficient." Taking a step forward, he turned and delivered a heel kick to her back, launching her face first in a mud puddle. "Ineffective."

Amy pushed herself up from the mud, her spines, shirt and face all stained brown. Now she was pissed off. Growling, she whirled around and flung herself at him, furiously trying to beat the life from him for humiliating her. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't even land one hit. Shadow easily avoided everything she threw at him, even jumping aside when she managed a rare Spin Attack of her own.

Finally, as every time before, Shadow would stop her with a single blow to either her chest or stomach, then leave her lying on her back with a second body hit. He shook his head. "Enough."

Nearly boiling with rage, and still half covered in mud, she stood up and glared at him. "What now!"

Her anger froze, however, when his expression turned serious, his ruby eyes locking with her emerald ones. "At the rate you are going, it will be a long time before you will be getting your hammer back, because you are ignorant of your primary weakness."

Gritting her teeth, she took a breath. "And what would that be?"

He stepped closer, nearly nose to nose with her again, and despite her anger, part of her mind was very much aware of the fact that his upper body was naked. "You lack control. Each and every time something does not go your way, you become angry and lash out blindly. It is this blindness that allows your enemies to defeat you, because you make it painfully easy for them." He raised her hammer. "This is as much part of the problem. This hammer is a weapon, a tool to be used to enhance yourself. Your mistake is that you have come to rely on it. Your entire fighting style is based around this hammer, and when it gets taken away from you, what do you have? Nothing. Without this hammer, you are useless."

Amy swallowed. She didn't like admitting it, nor did she like the direct and brutal way that he said it, but what he said was true. Shadow nodded as he saw the confirmation in her eyes, ignoring her discomfort. "Everyone you associate with has some sort of ability or power. Sonic and myself have our speed, and I have my Chaos powers. Tails, Rouge, even Cream are able to fly. Knuckles has his strength. You have none of these. While you are capable of good speed, you are easily outrun by the others. Your strength is good, as demonstrated by the force you exert with your hammer, but you can still easily be overpowered. If you are to overcome these weaknesses, you must train yourself to be capable of defending yourself. Before you can master a weapon, you must first master your mind and body, for only death can remove those two things from you."

Amy swallowed again, and nodded. "You're right." Her voice grew slightly bitter. "I'm weak. That's why I'm here."

Shadow took a step back, nodding. _Good. She's starting to learn._ He glanced up through the trees, noting the darkening sky. "Come with me. It will be dark soon, and you will need your sleep." He turned and picked up his vest and holsters, slinging them over his shoulder. Amy grabbed her bag and hurried after him.

The journey was made mostly in silence, Shadow because he was trying to remember the place where he was taking her, Amy because she just didn't know what to say. Her body was already sore from the beating it had just received, and she had a feeling that she would have several bruises the next day. Shadow had been dead serious when he had said he would be harsh, and Amy had a feeling that it was only going to get worse from here.

_ I don't care. I can't rely on others to solve my problems anymore. I have to prove that I can deal with them myself, and Shadow is my best chance._ She glanced at his back, noting the red markings on his spines. _But...at the same time, when will I get an opportunity like this? Shadow's always been so closed up, I don't think anyone really knows who he is._

She was about to speak when she heard a faint sound, her ears perking up slightly as she strained to catch it. She looked around, then noticed that Shadow had relaxed slightly. _It sounds almost like rushing water. A river?_

"We're here."

The rushing sound grew louder, until it left little doubt what it was, even before it became visible through the trees. A broad, low stone cliff rose from the ground, roughly 15 feet in height, not even high enough to pierce the trees, like a giant had cracked the ground with a crowbar and lifted. From near the top of the cliff, bursting from the rockface, a small waterfall thundered down into a wide, deep pool, the shoreline consisting of moss covered rocks. The water itself was crystal clear, allowing one to see right down into the pebbled floor below. The pool itself was set within the cliff, indicating that the waterfall had been carving away at the rock for what was probably centuries.

Amy stared in awe. She had traveled some, not as much as Sonic or Tails, but she had never seen a place like this. "Woooow. How did you ever find this place? It's amazing."

Shadow stopped and gazed at the waterfall, taking a deep breath of the misty air. "That is my concern. For now, we should set up camp. It will be primitive, but get used to it."

A few hours later, well after the sun had set behind the cliff, Amy was settling down for the night in her sleeping bag beneath a lean-to of branches. The water pool was not far away, and the sound of the waterfall was already making her drowsy. Shadow was sitting against a tree, not even in a sleeping bag of his own, just staring up into the sky.

Amy studied him from within her lean-to. After teaching her how to make the small structure, just in case a storm came up and managed to wreck it, he had retired to his tree and not said a word since. His face seemed melancholy, and yet intense, as if he was wrestling with some problem. His gaze never left the stars, and she wondered what was going through his mind. _He hardly ever says anything, and it's impossible to tell from his face what's on his mind. It's like he has this wall between him and the rest of the world._ Resting her chin on her hand, she frowned.

Shadow was well aware that Amy was watching him. While he found it somewhat strange, given the riveted attention she was giving him when she should be sleeping, he wasn't too perturbed. He was used to people staring at him.

"Shadow?"

He blinked, his ears twitching at her voice. Hers was quite unlike any other person he had heard. "Yes, Rose?"

"Can I ask you a question? Or two?"

He finally turned and gazed at her, her jade eyes barely visible in the darkness. Even still, he could see the apprehension in them. "You can. Whether or not you get an answer is up to me."

She seemed to consider that. "Um, why did you change your mind? About training me? After all, you said that you had better things to do, so, why? Why do you even care?"

He returned his gaze to the stars. The question was easy, and in a way, so was the answer. But he knew that she would want a whole answer, and if he was being truthful to himself, he didn't have one. "Because I made a promise. And I always keep my word."

Amy's mind zoomed back over two and a half years ago, to what was only the second time she had seen Shadow, aboard Space Colony ARK. _I have to go now. I have to keep my promise to Maria...and to you. I wonder what that promise was._ "Oh." She paused. "That's all you're going to tell me, isn't it?"

Shadow blinked, but otherwise didn't move. "That was your third question."

For a moment, Amy didn't respond. _My third...oh, ha ha, Shadow. Since when did you ever develop a sense of humor._ "Fine. I just have one more then."

Again, Shadow didn't move. "Last one, then get some sleep. You'll need it for the coming days."

She nodded, settling further into her sleeping bag. "Why do you call me Rose?" she yawned.

Even in the darkness, Amy could see him stiffen. It was clear that he hadn't been expecting a question like that. _Amy: 1, Shadow: too many to count. But it's better than nothing._

For a long time, Shadow was quiet. He tried to come up with a reason, but his thoughts kept failing him. _Should I even answer at all? It's not like I have to, what I call someone is my business._ He turned his head and gazed steadily at her. _Still, I'm going to be stuck with her for the foreseeable future. So why do I call her Rose?_ He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it.

Amy was already asleep.


	5. Tempering the Desire

Amy knew that training with Shadow would be hard. He had said as much. She had expected it to be grueling, to be harsh, and unrelenting. She had been prepared for that. She was not, however, prepared for just **how** harsh it would be over the next few weeks.

Every morning, before the sun had even touched the horizon, Shadow woke her and started her running. Back and forth, around the ice cold pool, the mist from the waterfall frigid in the cold morning air. It didn't take long before the only reason that she kept running at all was just to keep from shivering. She had lost count of the number of laps he had her do, and then he allowed her to rest her legs. He would disappear for a brief time using Chaos Control, returning with food and supplies.

She had to admit, he did take good care of her when it came to food. Much to her surprise, Shadow was quite knowledgeable about what food was good for training, and while not all of it was to her preference, she ate everything he put before her without complaint.

As they ate, she watched him. It was probably creepy, but it wasn't like she had anything else to do. "How come you don't eat as much?" she once asked curiously.

Shadow had grunted as he bit into a piece of bread. "My body mostly runs off of Chaos energy. I still require sustenance to maintain my body, but not as much as others."

She gulped down some water taken from the pool, shivering slightly as the glacial water froze her throat. "Guess that helps to keep you in shape."

He had grunted again, but otherwise didn't respond. Once she was done, then came the part that she thought was probably the harshest. After the first day, Shadow had taken her hammer somewhere, and told her that the only way she would be getting it back would be if she could defeat him without it. And so they would begin.

Amy would attack him, trying to recall everything she had learned years before during her boxercise training. She threw everything she could into their fights, but for the most part Shadow easily avoided her attacks. The only time that she could even touch him was when he blocked an attack instead of dodging, and when he did that, she always wound up flat on her back seconds later. It became very frustrating, and she turned that frustration on Shadow, redoubling her efforts to even hit him. Still, she continued to fail in her goal. And still, she would soon end up right back on the ground, staring up at the sky as she tried to catch her breath. Very soon, whatever clothes she was wearing would become caked with dirt and mud, as would her fur and spines. For a good few hours, she more resembled a brown hedgehog than a pink one.

Very rarely, Shadow would tell her to take a break, whereupon he would return to their camp and resume sitting against his tree, gazing up at the sky. She would take the opportunity to wash both her clothes and herself, and while she was grateful that Shadow faced away from the pool while he waited for her, it was still a little unnerving knowing that he was nearby. She didn't think that he would peek at her, that didn't seem like something Shadow would do, but still, it felt weird. Once she was done washing, they would begin again, continuing their training battles.

Once, after landing on her back for the umpteenth time from being kicked in the chest, Shadow sighed in disgust. "You don't have any idea what you are doing. Just throwing punches and kicks is a waste of energy, you'll exhaust yourself."

Amy panted as she pushed herself up. "Well then what do you propose I do?" she growled irately as she attacked him again, rapidly alternating between punches and kicks at his head.

Shadow ducked and leaned, easily avoiding every attempt. "Master your temper. Slow down. Always remain in control of yourself, otherwise your enemy will control you. And when your enemy controls you," he stepped aside as she launched herself into a Spin Attack, and promptly booted her like a soccer ball, sending her flying into the pool, "then you've already lost the fight."

Amy lay in the shallows, Shadow's words running circles through her head. She pushed herself up and shook herself, water droplets scattering from her spines. _He's right. I need to calm down, otherwise I won't get anywhere._

* * *

Shadow leaned against his tree, gazing up at the shattered remains of the moon in the night sky. They were now halfway into their fourth week, and Rose was showing definite signs of understanding. Her attacks, while still easily avoided, were slower and more deliberate, her focus on developing control of her emotions. He smiled faintly to himself. If only all her problems were so easily solved.

"Shadow? Are you awake?"

He glanced over to where Rose usually slept, and found her crawling from within her sleeping bag. He frowned slightly, his ruby eyes following the pink hedgegirl as she approached him. She was wearing a simple pair of pink sweatpants and a pink night shirt, an ensemble that showed her figure surprisingly well. His frown deepened at that thought. _Again?_

Thoughts much like those had been occurring more and more often over the past few weeks, and he chalked it up to being both in such close proximity to her, as well as spending so much time with her. Still, the frequency of such thoughts was beginning to concern him.

Blinking, he dismissed them from his mind. "You should be sleeping. You need it."

She ignored his words as she sat down in front of him, sighing. "Can't sleep. Why are you awake anyway? Don't you need to sleep as well?"

Keeping his expression neutral, he returned his gaze to the night sky. "I've learned to rest at anytime. It is a useful skill when working for the G.U.N."

She nodded. "I suppose. When you're on mission, I guess you would need to take advantage of whatever sleep you can get. You never know when you might need to fight for your life."

Despite himself, Shadow grinned slightly in the darkness. "A little exaggerated, perhaps, but essentially correct. My life is hardly ever in danger."

He saw her smile at his comment, and found himself studying the lines of her mouth. _Again? Get a hold of yourself, Shadow. You are training her, you can't afford yourself or her any distractions._ Giving himself a mental shake, he returned his gaze to the broken moon.

"Shadow, can I ask you a personal question?"

He sighed. Somehow, he knew that this would happen eventually. She was much too curious for it not to. "Very well, but don't be surprised if you don't get an answer."

She nodded, then fell quiet, seemingly considering how best to ask. "What was it like? Growing up on the ARK?"

His crimson gaze dropped to her emerald eyes, and he noted the cautious expression there. She was treading in unknown and potentially dangerous territory, and she knew it. "My past is behind me. It does not need to be repeated." he responded curtly.

She bowed her head, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Right. I'm sorry, it's just, I know so little about you. I know that you were born there, and that you spent most of your life there, and I know that you were friends with Maria, but that's it. I'm just curious, that's all." She glanced off to the side. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I'll leave you alone." She got to her feet and walked back to her sleeping bag.

Maybe it was the soothing drone of the nearby waterfall that lulled him into a sense of security, maybe it was the fact that the last three and a half weeks had been the longest he had ever spent with a single person since Maria, maybe it was the peaceful atmosphere of the area, or maybe he just felt apologetic for the manner in which he had spoken to her. Shadow may never know what it was, but he spoke up.

"It was quiet."

He saw her pause, then turn to look back at him. For his part, he was careful to keep his eyes on the sky. He knew that if he dove back into the past, he would open up things that he might not want to handle again. It wouldn't be good for him to show her weakness like that. "You recall how quiet the ARK was when you first arrived there, two years ago? It was much like that. All you ever heard was the soft hum of machinery, and the low voices of the scientists as they went about their research. Wherever you went, it was always quiet."

He closed his eyes, as memories drifted back. "For the first few days of my life, I was isolated. There were always scientists and biologists around me, but to them, I was little more than an fascinating creation, something to be studied and observed." He sighed, and his ears twitched as he heard the soft footsteps that indicated his female companion's approach. "Maria was the only one who saw me as an individual, a person with a mind and thoughts of their own. I met her after nearly a month of existence."

Amy swallowed as she saw a change occur on Shadow's face. He looked...gentle, almost. It was a significant difference from the stoic poker face, or dismissive scowl that he usually wore. "What about Professor Gerald?"

Shadow's face hardened again. "For a time, he was much like the other scientists. I was his project, one with interesting properties, but a project nonetheless." His expression softened slightly. "But, after a while, our interactions became more...personable, I suppose. I imagine it was due to his observations of my interaction with Maria." He opened his eyes and saw Amy sitting back in front of him, gazing intently with rapt attention. "At any rate, that was over fifty years ago. Maria and Professor Gerald are dead, and in all likelihood, so are most of the scientists, if any are still alive at all." His face settled back into its neutral, emotionless expression, and Amy knew that the discussion was over.

She smiled. "Thank you, Shadow. I know that that must have been hard for you."

Her smile disappeared, however, when Shadow got to his feet. "No, frankly, you don't." His eyes locked on hers, and she thought that she saw something flicker in their hard ruby depths. "And I hope you never find out." He walked into the trees, and Amy could have sworn that she saw something sparkle in his eye as he passed her.


	6. Taking Root

**Whud!** "Again."

Amy picked herself up from the ground, silently swearing at herself. She was starting to regret ever bringing up Shadow's past. In the days and weeks since that revealing conversation, Shadow had become even more harsh in her training. Now, not only did he have her attack him in their training battles, but now he attacked her more often, forcing her to defend herself. And throughout, Amy had the distinct feeling that he was holding back.

_Of course he is. He's fucking Shadow the Hedgehog. He's destroyed bigger threats than you._ Rubbing her shoulder, she took up a ready stance. Her eyes locked on Shadow's, watching for the slightest indication that he would strike, ignoring the fact that her heart was beating faster, and not because of the exertion from the fight.

Shadow stood with his arms crossed over his chest, and knew that he was in trouble. Amy's training was having a marked effect on her body. Before, she had very much been a teenage girl, thin in limb and body. Now, her arms and legs had become sinewy and faintly muscular, in a manner that was both tough yet very much feminine. Her overall body had filled out in several ways, becoming stronger and more well-defined. Amy was rapidly departing the teenage girl she had once been, and just as rapidly transforming into a rather beautiful young woman.

And while he did a good job of hiding it, an excellent one in fact, Shadow was becoming increasingly distracted by his trainee's appearance. It was a distraction that had taken root in his mind, for when they weren't physically present with each other, which was very rarely, Shadow found his thoughts dwelling on her more and more, and darkening in a manner that would have left someone of weaker will blushing furiously.

Amy lunged at him, kicking out at his feet. Easily, he jumped over the attack, somersaulting into a Spin Attack. Amy barely managed to avoid the incoming attack, rolling to her feet and already moving into a solid uppercut. To no surprise at all, Shadow easily brushed her fist aside and landed his own blow, emptying the air from her lungs. Before she had a chance to recover, he hooked his leg behind her knees and shoved, sending her toppling over. Flailing slightly, she grabbed onto the only thing she could, which just happened to be Shadow.

Taking him by surprise for once, Amy managed to pull the obsidian hedgehog off balance, bringing them both to the ground.

When Amy opened her eyes, she gulped. Shadow was crouched overtop of her, straddling her hips, his hands on either side of her head, his crimson eyes gazing down at her with an intensity that caused her heart to pound against her ribs and her breathing to deepen. His obsidian spines, their blood-red markings shadowed to the point of near obscurity, seemed to reach out and block the sunlight, isolating her from the brightly lit world around them. The fact that Shadow had taken his jacket off as usual, and thus was bare chested, didn't really help. Almost absentmindedly, she noticed that he was breathing heavier than usual. _Okay, this is new._

Shadow stared down at her, distinctly aware of the position that they were in. He knew that he should move, but he was rather transfixed by the sight beneath him. Amy's headband had dislodged itself during the fall, causing her quills to fan around her head almost like a pink halo. Her deepened, almost panting breath was causing her now much more developed chest to rise and fall, practically tantalizing him. Her forest eyes were fixed on his own, causing his limbs to lock and his mind to desert him. The fact that he could feel her immediately underneath him did so very little to help.

It was only for a few seconds, but those few seconds seemed like an eternity.

Eventually, Shadow forcibly tore his mind back into focus, and rolled aside, putting a little distance between them. "You improvised. That's good, but only if it gives you an advantage. Remember, take every opening and opportunity that your opponent gives you, and use it."

Amy was on the ground, his words half registering. _What just happened?_ "Uh, right. I got it."

Shadow got up and held out his hand. She tentatively took it, and he pulled her to her feet. The intense look in his eyes was gone, replaced with his normal mask of neutrality. "Again."

Taking a step back, Amy took up her ready position. _I don't know what that was, but it's not important._

Shadow gazed steadily at her. "You're improving, but you have a long way to go. You've gained sufficient control of yourself, the rest will come with time." He crossed his arms. "Combat is simply a challenge, for both body and mind. A test of both skill and will."

This time he initiated, launching into a rapid barrage of attacks. Amy did her best to block, but despite her efforts, she soon found herself battered and with her back against a tree. "If you desire victory, then you must focus on that to the exclusion of all else. You must learn about your opponent in the short time available to you, find weaknesses in their defense, openings in their attacks, and exploit them. If you have an advantage, you must be prepared to use it."

He seemed to hesitate for a second, and Amy lunged, taking his words to heart. However, Shadow simply spun to the side, his heel catching her in the small of her back, sending her sailing forward. "Of course, you must always be wary of a trap."

Picking herself from the ground, Amy winced as yet another bruise was added to her collection. "You are very contradictory."

Shadow folded his arms. "I never said that combat was easy." He turned his gaze to the sky, frowning slightly. "Take a break." Turning, he headed back to his customary tree and sat down.

Amy sighed, inwardly very confused as she turned and headed to the pool, pulling her shirt over her head. Slipping off her shoes and pants, she shivered as she stepped into the glacial water, the chill piercing her to the bone. As she slid deeper, her mind idly returned to the earlier incident.

She hadn't planned on making him fall on top of her, she had just grabbed hold to try and keep from falling. The memory made her blush, and she swam out to the waterfall to distract herself. Her heart beat a strange, unfamiliar rhythm in her chest, and she wondered why her thoughts kept returning to that moment.

_I mean, it wasn't that big a deal, was it? We just fell...on top of each other...and he was half-naked..._

Blushing fiercer, she dunked herself under the waterfall. _Come on, Amy, get a grip. You barely know Shadow, it was nothing more than an accident...right?_ She wasn't so sure anymore. It was true that she barely knew Shadow, but that was more his fault than hers. In the time that he had been training her, and she wasn't sure how long it had been now, she had learned precious little about him, and the more she discovered, the more he resisted telling her anything.

Drifting out with the current, she idly mused. _I understand that Shadow is a...well, private person. But why does he keep everything locked in? Why keep a wall between him and the rest of the world?_ She frowned. _And why does he always call me Rose? I can't figure that out, and I don't seem to get an answer._

She closed her eyes as she drifted in the water, and her mind flowed back to some days before.

* * *

_"Why do you wear those Inhibitor Rings?" Amy ducked beneath Shadow's fist, feinting towards his stomach before sweeping at his legs. _

_ The obsidian hedgehog simply stepped back and grabbed her foot, yanking her off balance, but she managed to recover before she faceplanted into the dirt again. "To regulate the Chaos energy in my body." he responded simply._

_ Sighing, Amy went back to her ready stance. "Come on, Shadow, you can give me a little more than that, can't you?"_ _she teased._

_ The pair slowly circled each other, keeping their gazes locked for the slightest indication of weakness. It may have just been her eyes playing tricks on her, but the black fur around Shadow's forehead seemed darker, and he seemed to be breathing heavier. It was a bit hotter than usual, the mist from the waterfall was definitely heavier, but maybe she was starting to make him actually exert more effort in fighting her. _

_ Shadow's mouth twitched slightly. "Fine." He abruptly charged her, forcing her to dance aside, though his foot still managed to clip her thigh. "Because some of my DNA is from Black Doom, my body absorbs and contains Chaos energy from the surrounding area."_

_ Amy nodded, trying to slip under his guard and knock the wind from him, but he simply blocked and spun her around, shoving her forward with a kick. "Right, ow."_ _she winced._

_ "However, living bodies like ours are not very efficient at containing Chaos energy. Most of what I absorb leaks out. Since I mostly rely on Chaos energy to survive, this would leave me rather weak."_

_ Trading blows, it struck Amy that their training looked less like actual combat, and more like a dance. Their bodies weaved together and apart, and throughout, their eye contact was seldom broken. "Got it."_

_ Shadow ducked beneath one of her swings and shot his foot into her stomach, sending her staggering backwards into a tree, gasping for breath. "My Inhibitor Rings stem the flow of Chaos energy, instead allowing it to build up in my body. Not only does this make me seldom tired, it also allows me constant access to my Chaos powers." Standing up, he swiped his hand through the air, firing a Chaos Spear straight at Amy._

_ The pink hedgehog jumped aside, holding her stomach as the bolt of energy exploded against the tree. This wasn't the first time that Shadow had brought his powers into play, and she already had several burns from near hits. "So, when you take them off, the energy can be used unrestricted."_

_ Shadow nodded as they resumed their stalking circle. "Correct. Removing my Rings gives me a significant power boost, though it is only temporary. After that, I am far weaker than normal, and if I am not careful, I may become unconscious if I use too much energy too quickly."_

* * *

Amy sighed, and started swimming for the shore. _Shadow is without a doubt the most complicated person I have ever met._

Shadow gazed at the tree in front of him, waiting for Amy to finish. In the beginning, it had been easy to not look. He hadn't much cared what she looked like, and occasionally had even napped while she cleansed herself, but now it was becoming increasingly difficult to not turn around. Every time he thought about her, he could feel his heart rate increase, thumping a new and very unfamiliar rhythm against his ribs, and a rather strange feeling filled his body and mind, like a new kind of energy thrumming in his veins. It was new and uncomfortable.

He didn't like it.

_Damn it, what is she doing to me?_ He growled quietly, his lips curling into a grimace._ How can this pink hedgehog, this girl, embed herself in my thoughts like this? How can she make me feel like this? Hell, __**what am I feeling?**_ He shook his head, his leather-clad fingers clenching at his elbows. _This has never happened to me before. Not even Rouge has managed to make me feel this...this...whatever the hell this is, and god knows she flirts with me all the time. Rose has been entirely focused on her training, has no interest in me, and yet this has happened!_

Shaking his head, he thumped himself against the tree at his back. _I'm getting too attached to her. It's been five months, she has proven herself a capable fighter now. Her strength has certainly increased. Granted, she's no Knuckles, but with how much her speed has increased, she could certainly give the echidna a run for his Emerald. She could probably even give Sonic a challenge. At the very least, it's an effort to counter her now._

"Shadow! I'm done!"

His ears swiveled back at her voice, and his eyes clenched shut. _Get a hold of yourself. She is your student, nothing more._ Standing, he gave himself one last mental shake, he turned and returned to their custom battle site. _Time for something different._

Amy was waiting for him in the small clearing that their training battles had made, already in a ready stance, her fists raised in front of her, her legs bent and spread apart. Shadow gazed at her, outwardly calm, inwardly storming. Time to really make her work for that hammer. Collecting the Chaos energy within himself, he felt and heard the crackle within his palm.

Amy's eyes narrowed, ready to move at the slightest moment. _Starting with a Chaos attack? This is new. Maybe he wants to give me a bigger challenge._

The next few seconds took her breath away. Shadow charged forward, and in the split second available to her, Amy realized that he was moving far faster than he had before in their training. He swiped his hand through the air, sending three glowing Chaos Lances shooting her way. Due to the speed that he was already moving at, Amy didn't have time to react.

The energy bolts exploded at her feet, sending her flying backwards. Even before she hit the ground, Shadow blew through the smoke and dirt, his fists and feet battering her arms and body. Thinking quickly, she managed to get a grip on the ground and swung her foot forward, grinning as she felt it connect with a pair of legs.

Something told her that this was a different battle than normal. Shadow was being much more aggressive, and she guessed that she was in for the fight of her life.

Shadow easily recovered, cartwheeling over her strike and resuming his assault. Amy still took hits, but much to his surprise, she was holding out well, avoiding, blocking and countering more attacks than she usually did. _Well, people always fight fiercer when they believe that more is at stake._ Whipping his heel around, he knocked her flying backwards and followed with another barrage of Chaos Lances. Again, to his surprise, Amy reacted quickly, ducking into a Spin Dash that sent her shooting to the side. Her natural attack was slower than either Sonic's or Shadow's own, but she had much more control over it and could make much sharper turns.

His Darkness skates thrummed against his soles as he charged after her, narrowing his gaze as Amy came up standing. _Good. Now try this._

Amy braced herself as Shadow blasted towards her. She knew from the way that his left arm was held back that he was going for a powerful punch, and she knew the best way to counter it. _This is weird. It's not like Shadow to be so obvious._ Her eyes narrowed, her nerves at a hair-trigger. _He's got some sort of trick._

What happened next took her completely by surprise. Shadow was only a foot and a half away from her when a sudden flash of blue light enveloped him, and he disappeared. Amy's brain barely had time to register what happened before Shadow's fist cracked into the back of her head, followed by the sole of his air skate slamming into her ribs from the left. The two attacks, coming from unexpected directions, whiplashed her through the air, until she splashed down into the nearby pool.

Shadow hovered by the water's edge, and he couldn't help but smirk. _She's good, but she's still nowhere near my league._

Amy spluttered as she pushed herself up from the rocky bottom of the pool, wincing as the ice-cold water stung at a cut on her shoulder. Her head throbbed from his first blow, and her ribs ached from the second. _That...that bastard used Chaos Control!_ She looked up through her dripping quills, and saw the glowing Chaos Emerald hovering above Shadow's hand. _He's using his full Chaos powers now. I'm going to have to give him everything I've got._

Shadow nodded as he saw the understanding in his eyes. "You must always be prepared for an attack, and expect one from every direction."

His gaze narrowed, and the intense look in his eyes returned. Amy realized that Shadow was focused completely on her, that he would now permit no one and nothing to distract him. "Never assume you can predict what your opponent will do, for you will pay for it dearly if you are wrong." She nodded at his words, and dragged herself from the water.

Their fight resumed, and it was clear that Shadow was now holding nothing back. His attacks came fast, hard, and precise, landing with lethally calculated efficiency. Not only that, but he would teleport with Chaos Control without warning, exploiting every vulnerability she possessed.

_Still, she's doing very well._ Shadow thought as once again she rose and counterattacked. _She's recovering quickly, protecting those parts of her body that can cripple her, and doing an excellent job of blocking and dodging._ He couldn't help but admire her determination. _She's giving everything she has._

Still, it wasn't enough. Slowly, but surely, Shadow drove Amy closer and closer to the cliff wall, until her back hit the stone. She never took her eyes off him. _Well, at least now he can't hit me from behind._ Shadow was poised in front of her, his feet planted firmly in the ground, his intense ruby eyes locked on her.

A second passed, and he charged forward. Two Chaos Lances shot from his hands, and Amy jumped straight up, managing to grab a small ledge above her, before launching herself away from the wall. Somersaulting through the air, she hit the ground in a Spin Dash and shot forward, until a burst of heat and a shower of earth stopped her short.

Whirling out of her attack, she briefly caught sight of Shadow in front of her, feinted at his legs, and brought her fist cracking towards his head. The obsidian hedgehog didn't even blink, simply blocking her punch with his forearm and bring his knee up towards her stomach. Running on her instincts, Amy spun inside his reach and brought her elbow into Shadow's side. Taking the blow, Shadow grabbed her wrists, crossing them over her chest as he hooked his feet in front and behind her ankles, immobilizing her. Amy fought to free herself, and the struggle brought the two hedgehogs face to face.

Eternity passed in a heartbeat as they froze. Shadow's intense ruby eyes were centimeters away from Amy's malachite ones, and she could feel every inch of his body that was pressed against her own. Both hedgehogs were breathing heavily, and they could faintly detect each other's heartbeats. Amy swallowed as she felt his breath gusting against her mouth, and Shadow fought to keep from shaking as the faint scent of her fur entered his nose.

Shadow tore himself away, his palm slamming into a nearby tree as he staggered backwards, his eyes clenching shut. _What is happening to me! Why do I feel like this!_

Amy stood, gazing at the mysterious expression on Shadow's face. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened, or why he looked like he was in pain. She didn't think that she had hit his chest that hard. "Shadow...?"

Shadow's open hand clenched, and he forced himself to relax. "Good. Very good." His voice shook slightly, and he reasserted himself. "You've come a long way in five months."

Amy nodded, her gloved hands clasping together. "...thank you. I've...I've learned a lot from you." She hesitated, and her breath caught in her throat as his eyes opened and locked with her own. "Shadow...what just..."

He shook his head. "Nothing. Take a break, Rose." _Damn it, Shadow! What is wrong with you!_

Amy nodded, and turned to head back to the campsite, when a thought occurred to her. Something that had been niggling in the back of her mind, like she had forgotten something. "Wait, did you say that it's been five months?"

Shadow nodded, frowning. "Yes." _What is she thinking?_

Amy gulped. "Shadow, what is the date today?"

His frown deepened, and he crossed to the campsite. Grabbing his comm-unit from beneath his vest, where it had lain since first arriving there, he activated it. "August 17th. Why?"

Amy's eyes widened, and she hurriedly began packing her things. "Shit! I completely forgot! Vanilla is going to kill me!"

Standing, Shadow grabbed her shoulder, making her stop. "Rose, what is it?"

She turned her head, her panicked expression making him frown. "Cream's eleventh birthday is today!" Turning back to her mess of a sleeping area, she stuffed clothes back into her duffel bag. "Shit shit shit. I promised her that I would be back in time. I need to have a real shower, and I need to get her a gift, and"

Shadow's hand tightened on her shoulder, making her stop. "Leave your things. Get up."

Taking a breath, Amy rose and turned to look at him. He calmly gazed back. "What time is her party? I assume that she is having a party."

Amy nodded. "What time is it now?"

"3:30."

She gulped. "The party starts at four."

Shadow blinked once, but otherwise didn't react. "You still have time. Leave your things here, you can come back for them at a later time. We'll use Chaos Control to return to your home, you'll have time to shower. You likely won't be able to get her a gift, but I will take the blame for that."

Amy frowned. "Why?"

Shadow shrugged. _Good question._ "Because it is the truth."

She shook her head. "But you don't know where I live, do you?" He shook his head in response. "So how will you take me back home in time?"

He smirked just a little, like he was giving an obvious answer to a childish question. "I won't." He grabbed her wrist, pulled the shimmering Chaos Emerald from the pocket of his pants, and laid it in her hand. "You will."

Her eyes widened as she looked at the jewel. She could feel the slight tingle against her palm as the Emerald's energy reacted to her touch. "How? I can't use Chaos Control."

Shadow shook his head. "Anyone can use Chaos energy. Sonic was able to accomplish Chaos Control, with a fake Emerald no less. You have a real Emerald in your hand. It will be even easier."

Amy looked at him, swallowing. "But, how?"

Again, that intense look returned to his eyes, and her heart crept into her throat. "Simple. Chaos energy enables you to manipulate time and space. All it requires is the mental control to master it. With your training, you have ample control." He released her wrist, but kept his other hand on the emerald. "I will be with you. Just close your eyes, and concentrate on a room in your home. Remember as much as you can. The greater the detail in the memory, the more likely that you will end up where you want to."

Amy swallowed, and closed her eyes. Thinking hard, she tried to remember the living room in her apartment. Even though it had been five months, she could still remember every detail. After all, she had decorated it herself. Looking back, she didn't like it quite so much anymore.

Shadow studied her face, trying to focus on the lesson at hand. "Now, concentrate on the Emerald in your hand. Focus on how that energy feels, and allow it to respond to your thoughts."

Amy nodded slowly, awed by how much power was contained in the gem. To her, it was a wonder that it didn't explode with it all. "There's so much."

Shadow took a quiet breath, and allowed his fingertips to stretch down and touch her palm. "Chaos energy is power without direction. Allow that energy to become your own, and all of time and space will be yours to mold as you wish."

Amy swallowed. She could tell that Shadow was correct. The energy within the Emerald was simply sitting there, existing without doing anything. And yet, she could feel the way that the energy was reacting to her, almost like a question. "It's almost like it's alive."

Shadow nodded. "In a way, it is. Chaos energy is as much the power of the mind as it is physical energy. I've felt that as well. If the energy is alive, then it is alive on a level very much different from what we are able to recognize." He tapped her palm with his finger. "Concentrate. Take the image of your home, and place yourself in it. Don't let anything else distract you. Focus only on the image of you standing in your home, then allow the Emerald's power to flow through your mind and make that image into reality."

Amy breathed slowly and carefully, doing exactly as Shadow told her. She could feel the Emerald's energy racing up her arm and through her body, almost eagerly. Power surged through her, and she shivered slightly.

She knew that it had worked, however, when she felt the ground vanish from beneath her feet. A second later, her back hit a hard surface with a hollow **thump!** Opening her eyes, she found herself staring up at the white ceiling of her own living room. "It worked! I can't believe that that actually worked!"

A grunt issued from beside her, and she turned her head to see Shadow sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. His crimson gaze settled on her. "Well, I suppose appearing horizontal in the exact middle of the room isn't the worst thing that could have happened." he muttered.

She blushed slightly. "Sorry." She quickly stood up, leaving the Emerald in his hand, and rushed towards the bathroom. She paused at the entrance to her hallway, and looked back.

Shadow was standing, gazing around with disinterest. The walls of her apartment were solid pink, as was her furniture, rug, curtains, and pretty much almost everything in the room. Somehow, Amy got the feeling that despite his neutral expression, Shadow was intently memorizing every detail of the room.

She smiled in embarrassment when his gaze settled on her. "Um, yeah, I guess it wouldn't be hard to guess what my favorite color is, is it."

Shadow resumed studying the room. "Hmph. Didn't you say you needed a shower? Before we go to Cream's party?"

Amy jumped slightly. "Oh, right!" She turned, then stopped. "Wait, you're coming?"

Shadow nodded. "Of course. I must apologize to Cream and Vanilla for making you late." Again, his gaze settled on her. "I won't be staying long." He raised the glowing green Emerald in his hand. "I will be waiting for you when you are done." And with that, he vanished in a flash of blue light.

Amy swallowed. She still wasn't sure what had happened back at the lake, nor was she sure that she would ever get an answer out of Shadow about it. _Well, whatever it was, I don't have time to worry about it._ She turned and rushed into her bathroom, pulling her shirt off as she went. _Vanilla is going to be so mad._


	7. Return

Shadow sighed as he lounged on the pink sofa, twirling the red hairband around his finger. His red eyes traversed the room. _She really does love pink, doesn't she._ Everything, literally everything, was pink. It was almost childish, and yet, for reasons that the obsidian hedgehog wasn't at all sure about, it was also endearing.

His ears twitched as he detected her voice coming down the hallway, and he rose to his feet, his vest settling down on his shoulders. Changing had been a simple and quick task, retrieving his jacket from the campsite, then exchanging his sweatpants for his more preferred cargo pants from his quarters at the G.U.N.

Amy's muttering grew louder, and Shadow swallowed as she came into view. Her dirty and torn pink sweatpants had been replaced by a much cleaner dark blue pair, combined with a green t-shirt. Her shoes had been replaced by her regular pink boots. Unfortunately, the clothes seemed to be slightly too small for her. In the five months that they had been training, Amy appeared to have also grown an inch or two, in addition to the other improvements that had occurred in her body.

"Stupid spines. Can't ever get them to stay in place." Amy muttered as she exited the hallway. She stopped abruptly when she caught sight of Shadow. "Oh. Wow, you were serious when you said you'd be waiting for me."

Shadow blinked. "I usually am." He tossed the hairband to her. "I believe this is yours."

Amy's hand shot out, easily making the catch. "Thanks." She paused. "It's kinda funny. I never used to react that quickly before."

Shadow nodded. "As I said before, you've come a long way." He reached inside his jacket, withdrawing the Chaos Emerald from its pouch. "Are you ready?"

Nodding as she slipped the hairband in place, Amy stepped up next to him. "Yep." Her eyes widened slightly as he held the Emerald out to her. "Really? You want me to try it again?"

Shadow's gaze locked with hers, and her heart fluttered in her chest. _Why does that always happen?_ she wondered. "Yes. You've already done it once. The more often you do it, the easier it will become. Using Chaos Control is an excellent test of your self-control."

Shifting her weight back and forth on her feet nervously, she glanced off to the side. "But, what if we land like we did last time? Ya know, in mid-air, on our backs?"

Shadow shrugged. "You just need to focus more. Concentrate on the image of where you want to go, and your place within it. It's as simple as that." Again, he fixed her in his gaze, and she felt her pulse race as he placed the Emerald in her hand.

She swallowed, and nodded as she closed her eyes. The tingling energy within the Emerald flowing through her palm and up her arm, and she frowned slightly as she tried to remember Cream's house. Unlike her own, Amy's memory of the building was somewhat more fuzzy.

To Amy, it didn't seem like anything had happened. To an observer, both hedgehogs disappeared in a flash of blue light.

* * *

_2 minutes earlier_

* * *

"Ow! Sonic, quit jabbing my tail with your spines, will ya! That's gotta be the hundredth time now!"

"Actually, Vector, he's only jabbed you five times. You've complained about it fifteen times."

"Shaddup Espio."

Sonic gritted his teeth, his limbs starting to ache again as he struggled to keep his rather precarious balance. "Well if I wasn't too busy making sure I don't poke my eyes out on somebody's knuckles, we wouldn't be having this problem." he grunted.

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "It's not like this game was my idea. Just give up, and problem solved."

Sonic grinned. "Heh, sure. Why don't you just move your hand outta my face, then I wouldn't have to worry about it."

The red echidna grunted. "And admit defeat? To you? Ha! I don't think so."

The reason for Sonic's contorted position, and Vector's apparent pain, was Cream's 11th birthday party. More specifically, Cream's idea of playing Twister. Both Sonic and Tails were always up for a good game at a party, and some goading on the part of the blue hedgehog had easily roped in Knuckles the Echidna. Vector Crocodile had a certain fondness for Cream's family, and was easily swayed into playing. As it turned out, the music loving croc's bulky body made it easy for him to reach most of the spots on the mat.

The result of the game however, was proving less than pleasant for some. Knuckles, wearing his red sleeveless shirt and shorts, had somehow managed to end up splayed under the bottom of the pile, his irate face obscured by his hanging dreadlock spines, while Vector was forced into a high bridge position right at the top, his green jacket zipped up to keep out of the way. Tails was trying to ignore the pressure on his arm as it was crushed beneath the two, while Sonic found himself almost underneath Vector's jean-clad legs. As Vector was discovering, playing Twister with a hedgehog was not the most comfortable of games.

Looking on in amusement was Vector's Chaotix partner, Espio the Chameleon. Having elected not to join the game, he remained seated cross-legged at the base of the couch, his fingers interlocked as he watched his partner's discomfort. Their other partner, Charmy Bee, was busy flying around the living room, laughing as he played tag with Cheese. Cream was seated above him with the spinner board, and Vanilla would occasionally look in from the kitchen in her orange dress.

Sonic chuckled. "Same old same old, huh Knux?" He craned his head around, causing Vector to yelp again. "Oh, come on Vec. You've got scales, how can my spines hurt?" He sighed. "Cream, wouldja mind spinning that spinner, so that this big baby up here can stop squealing?"

Cream giggled. "Sure Mr. Sonic." Even though she was now eleven years old, Cream still had the habit of calling people Mr. or Ms. "Let's see, Sonic, right foot on red."

Sonic craned his head again. "Yo, buddy! There any reds by my foot?"

Tails managed to look up. "Uh, yeah! Move your foot straight ahead. Keep going, keep going, kay stop! Now move it to your right. There, you're good!"

Straining, Sonic pushed himself as far as his body could go. Knuckles grunted as he took on additional weight. "Jeez, man, how many chili dogs did you eat before you got here? I know we ate already, but you didn't have that much." He wrinkled his nose. "And would it kill you to bath more than twice a week? You stink."

Sonic moved his head, checking that he did still in fact have one finger on a yellow spot. "You know I hate water, Knuckles. Can't swim."

"You don't need to know how to swim to take a freakin shower!"

Vector was sure he could feel his spine creaking as he was pushed into a higher arch. "I don't smell anything, and if somebody doesn't tell me to move soon, I'm gonna fall."

Knuckles glared upwards, only to find his view blocked by one of Tail's tails. "Don't you dare!" he snarled, very much aware of the consequences should that happen.

Cream turned and looked towards the front door. "I wonder where Amy is. She promised she would be here, and she's already missed the cake."

Sonic winced as he felt Vector settle down slightly. _I've been wondering that myself. I know she took it hard when I told her I wasn't interested in getting together, but to disappear for five whole months with only a note on her door saying "I'm leaving"? That's not like her._ "I'm sure Amy's fine, Cream. With a temper like her's, you'd have to be crazy to try anything on her." He groaned. "Now wouldja mind hitting that spinner again? I think I'm slipping."

Cream sighed. She reached her hand forward to hit the spinner, then froze when the doorbell rang. "I've got it!" In an instant, she vaulted over the back of the couch and was gone, Cheese and Charmy flying after her.

Knuckles gritted his teeth. He was strong, but trying to bear the weight of a hedgehog and a crocodile for the better part of a half-hour was proving taxing even for him. "Espio, would you mind? These fatsos are kinda heavy."

Vector groaned. He hadn't needed to hold a position like this in over two months, since the Chaotix's last case. _Which would be about the last time I paid the rent and power as well. Crap, did I pay the water bill too?_

A piercing shout ripped through the house. "AMY!"

Vector swung his head around at the shout. "Cream?" His feet finally slipped out from under him, and the entire twisted pile of bodies collapsed.

"Whups!"

"Ow!"

"Hey!"

"Grrnf!"

Charmy shot back into the living room, just in time to see the dog pile, Espio chuckling, and Vanilla approaching in concern. "Hey guys, guess who's at the door! It's Amy and Shadow!"

Sonic pulled himself from beneath Vector's legs, and rubbed his head. "What'd you say?"

Charmy sighed in child-like exhasperation. "I said, Amy and Shadow are here. And I gotta say, Amy looks kinda different. Wonder what she's been up to?"

As Vector, Tails and Knuckles disentangled themselves, Sonic frowned. _Amy and Shadow? Where did she find him? Shads generally doesn't hang around._ His frown deepened. _For that matter, where has Amy been?_

"...'ve you been Mother and I've been so worried and why're you so late you disappear without telling anyone where you're going

"Cream!" Vanilla frowned at her daughter as she led the two hedgehogs into the living room, escorted by Cheese. "If you don't give Amy a chance to talk, then don't be surprised if you don't get an answer."

Cream glanced down, clasping her hands. "Sorry." Abruptly, she spun around and hugged her best friend tightly. "It's really great to see you, Amy. I've missed you."

Amy smiled as she wrapped her arms around the younger rabbit. "I missed you too, Cream. Sorry, but I didn't have time to get you a present. I actually only got back home an hour ago." She turned and smiled at Shadow. "Chaos Control is pretty handy."

Cream smiled as she stepped back to join her mother. "That's okay. You're here, and that's the best present I could ask for."

Sonic stared at the pink hedgehog, hardly able to believe his eyes. _Whoa. Amy's...different. She was kinda pretty before, but holy crap. What's she been doing, working out for five months?_ "Hey Shads. Wasn't expecting to see you here."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Shadow noticed Amy's posture go rigid. _Hmm. This isn't going to end well._ "Sonic."

Vanilla frowned as Sonic grinned. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, and judging from the hard expression on Amy's face, it wouldn't take much for things to explode. "Well, now that everyone is here, why don't we get to opening the presents."

* * *

Hours later, Amy stepped out onto Cream's back porch for some air. Vector, Espio and Charmy had left an hour before, saying that they needed to get back on a case. She smiled. It was good to see everyone again. Cream had grown a little, Tails had managed to clean most of the grease out of his fur, and even Knuckles seemed to have chilled a little more since the last time she had seen him. _A lot can change when you disappear for five months._

"Hey there, Ames. You look good."

Amy sighed. _Of course, just what I needed._ "Don't call me Ames, Sonic. What do you want?"

Sonic frowned as he turned and leaned against the railing. "Haven't seen ya in a while, just a little curious about what you've been up to."

She scowled and turned away. "You don't need to worry about me anymore." she muttered darkly.

The blue hedgehog sighed. "Come on, Amy. It's been five months, can't you just let it go? All I did was tell you the truth, are you going to hate me for the rest of my life for that?"

She closed her eyes. _Arrogant sonuva..._ "You want me to just let it go? I wasted years of my life thanks to you, because you were too much of a selfish coward."

Sonic gritted his teeth as he straightened up. "Hey, that's not true and you know it. How is it my fault that you couldn't take a hint?"

Amy whirled around, her jade eyes blazing. "Take a hint? What hint? All you ever did was run! That's all you ever do! Sure, you're always up for a fight, but when it comes to facing something actually difficult, like how someone else feels about you, you duck and run!"

Sonic glared back at her. "Hey, don't turn this on

"Ahem."

Both hedgehogs turned, and were confronted with the folded arms and stern face of Vanilla Rabbit. "In case you both forgot, this is a party. My daughter's birthday party. I won't allow any arguments here tonight." Her voice carried a no-nonsense tone that suggested that both hedgehogs follow her advice.

Amy turned and leaned against the railing, gazing up at the sky. "We're not arguing. Sonic was just about to go back inside." she said in a voice that was slightly cold and bitter.

The hedgehog in question looked between the two women helplessly, then sighed. "Amy, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

She bowed her head. "Just leave me alone, Sonic. I'm done chasing you."

Shaking his head, he walked past Vanilla and back into the living room.

* * *

Across the room, leaning against the wall by the door, Shadow watched Sonic return. After much pleading from Cream, and a quiet request from Amy, he had decided to stay. Even from there, he could hear the argument, and was silently thankful that Vanilla had stepped in when she did. He had been concerned that something like this would happen. _Between Sonic's cocky pride and Rose's temper, this needs to be resolved quickly, otherwise it will end badly._ he thought to himself as he quietly grimaced.

* * *

Vanilla gently laid her hand on Amy's shoulder. "Amy, do you want to talk about this?"

"No. It's fine." She yawned, and shook her head. "Actually, I'm feeling kind of tired. It's been a long time since I slept in a real bed, so I think I'll go home."

The elder rabbit frowned. "Where have you been, Amy? Cream was right earlier, we were worried about you. You didn't tell anyone where you were going, and all your note said was that you were leaving."

Amy sighed. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone. I just, I needed some time away."

Vanilla was silent for a moment. "Does this have something to do with Shadow?"

The pink hedgehog smiled. "Shadow...yeah. He's been training me, helping me get stronger. He made me realize that, as long as I was relying on others to save me, I'd never be able to move on." Her smile broadened.

Vanilla frowned. She didn't really understand why Shadow would do something like that, especially since he hadn't been seen much in almost two years. But then, she barely knew Shadow at all. "I see." She sighed. "I'm still going to worry about you Amy."

Amy smiled, turned, and hugged her. "You're the closest thing I have to a mother, Vanilla, since, ya know." Her expression dropped for a moment. "Thank you, but I'm okay, really. Thanks to Shadow, I can take care of myself."

Vanilla nodded. "Alright, Amy." She smiled. "If you are leaving, at least say goodbye to Cream."

Amy laughed. "Of course."

* * *

Shadow ears perked up slightly at the sound of Amy's laughter. He found it...energizing. He rather liked the sound. He opened his eyes and turned to see her entering the living room.

Cream stood up from the game of Monopoly with Knuckles and Tails. "Amy, are you okay? I heard you and Sonic arguing."

Shadow studied Amy's tired smile as she hugged the younger rabbit. "It's fine Cream. I'm actually a little tired, so I'm going home and getting some sleep." She turned and smiled at the others. "Tails, Knuckles, it was great seeing you again." Shadow noted that she purposely left out Sonic. Well, that certainly could have gone much worse.

As Amy walked past, Sonic raised his hand from where he laid on the couch. "Later Ames." Amy froze, and her hands balled into fists. She gritted her teeth, inwardly seething again, until she caught Shadow's gaze. He didn't move, didn't blink, just gazed at her, waiting to see what she would do.

"Don't call me Ames." The barely restrained anger in her voice was clearly evident to everyone in the room, and with those final words, she walked past Shadow and out the door.

Knuckles sighed, laying back on the floor. "Still mad, huh?"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "I don't get why she's still mad. All I did was tell her the truth."

Tails frowned as he moved his piece. "Well, Amy did keep after you for a long time, Sonic." Cream nodded. "She loved you."

Shadow gazed out the door, where he could still see Amy standing on the lawn calming down. "Hmph. Idiot." As everyone turned to look at him in surprise, he pushed away from the wall and left.

Knuckles frowned as he layered his mitted hands underneath his head. "What's his problem?"

Sonic shrugged. "It's Shadow. Who knows with him."

* * *

Amy took deep breaths, her eyes clenched shut, trying to calm the angry tide within her. _Stupid, arrogant, self-centered, cocky little..._

"I'm almost impressed."

Her breath caught in her throat at Shadow's voice, and she turned to face him. He gazed at her steadily and without expression, his hands thrust into the pockets of his vest. "You managed not to assault him. I guess you did learn something these past five months." he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

She sighed. "I'm sorry for almost losing control. He just...I can't believe he thinks he did nothing wrong!"

Shadow smirked. "I believe I told you that faker was immature."

Amy sighed again, then turned away and started walking towards her apartment. She paused, and looked behind her, where Shadow was still standing, gazing up at the star-filled sky. _He seems to do that a lot. Maybe he's looking for the ARK?_ She looked up, her expression softening, then back at him. "Shadow?" she called out.

He glanced her. _Strange, she looks different in the starlight. Subtle, but different._ "Hmm?"

She glanced at the ground, then back up at him. "Do you...would you like to stay at my place? Just for the night?"

He blinked. Hmm. No one's ever asked me that before. He frowned inwardly. _Is that even a good idea, with these blasted emotions?_ "Why would I do that?" he asked, his tone measured and careful.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just figured that, since we've been camping out the last five months, and in that time you've always slept sitting against a tree, you might like to sleep in an actual bed." She looked at him, and found a rather strange expression on his face. He almost seemed to be studying her, like he was trying to perceive some hidden motive.

For several seconds, silence reigned as Shadow considered her offer. He had no reason to accept, in fact he could just as easily sleep in his bunk in his G.U.N quarters. _On the other hand, she has offered. And if I have no reason to accept, I also have no reason to refuse._

Silently, he nodded and walked towards her. "Would you like to try again?" He held his vest open, indicating the Chaos Emerald that he kept.

Amy shook her head. "No, thanks. I'd rather walk. It's not good to try and sleep when you're in a bad mood."

And so they walked, side by side through the darkness. The shattered remains of the moon had gone into its new phase, invisible without the reflected rays of the sun. The night was late enough that most of the houses were dark, leaving the only sources of light to be the passing street lights and the stars. For the most part, both remained quiet, Amy absorbed with her own thoughts, Shadow simply having nothing to say.

Every now and then, Amy would turn her head and look at him. When they walked between the bright circles of the street lights, Shadow was all but invisible, his dark clothes and ebony fur making him a true shadow in the night. The only indication that he was there at all was his faint footsteps, and the red markings on his body, which managed to catch even the faint starlight. Once, she would have found the sight intimidating. Now, it only made him seem even more mysterious, like some etherial creature as opposed to real flesh and blood.

_Who are you, Shadow? What are you thinking? I can never tell, and you never say._ she wondered. She noticed that even as he walked, he kept his gaze on the sky, though she had no doubt that he still kept watch of the sidewalk before them. _He'd probably notice something before I would._ Shadow was a conundrum, and for reasons that were beyond her, she wanted to unravel that mystery.

"I don't get you."

Shadow glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. _Impressive. She managed to stay quiet for all of ten minutes._ "Is that so."

"You always keep everything inside, hardly ever say anything, you always keep this...mask, on your face. It's like you keep this wall between yourself and the rest of the world, and I don't understand why you do that."

He glanced at the concrete beneath their feet, considering her words. For good reason. "Your point?"

Amy frowned. _Like you don't know._ "So, I want to know why."

"Hmm." He returned his gaze to the stars. _Relentless thing, isn't she?_ "Few others would be able to understand, Rose."

"And I want to try."

Exasperated, he finally turned and looked at her, his crimson gaze locking with her determined malachite one. "Why?"

She frowned, and looked away for a moment. "I'm not sure. It's just...you're so mysterious. I know so little about you, and it seems like the more I learn, the more questions I have. I"

He suddenly held up his hand, silencing her. "Shh." He turned and looked around them, his crimson eyes probing the darkness beyond the circle of light that they had stopped in.

Frowning, she looked around. "What is it?"

Shadow's nerves were at a hair-trigger, every sense primed. "Someone is watching us, and has been for some time." He could feel the Emerald within his vest humming silently, and he could feel a rather powerful source of Chaos energy nearby. _Which usually only happens when there's a..._

His ears flicked back, catching a faint noise behind them, and he threw them both to the ground. Something flew overheard, casting a fleeting shadow on the pair, before disappearing into the darkness.

Shadow looked up and glanced around. _Damn, it's fast._ "Split up. Make it choose."

Amy nodded. _Okay, now we'll find out just how good I am._ Almost before she knew it, Shadow had shot off to her left, and she started running right. Trying to keep her breathing even, she searched the darkness for their mysterious attacker.

As Shadow took a long curve into the street, he concentrated on the energy impression that he could sense. _So, whoever you are, you're carrying a Chaos Emerald. How are you going to use it._ A blue flash appeared off to his right, and he lunged in that direction. He didn't expect to find anything there, and as he hit and rolled along the pavement, a second flash appeared behind him. He came into a crouch, facing the way he had come.

Nothing. The darkness appeared to be completely empty. Shadow frowned, his eyes flicking around in search. _Hmm. You can use Chaos Control. But where did you go? Even if you were as fast as I am, I would still be able to see you moving._ His brow creased. _Unless the whole point is that I can't see you. A chameleon? But chameleons aren't normally able to move that fast._

Standing only a few feet away, Amy could just make out Shadow in the darkness. She didn't know who they were fighting, or why. Her eyes flicked around nervously, searching for any sign of their attacker. Movement caught her sight, and she watched Shadow slowly move towards one of the street lights. _What are you doing?_

He was almost a foot away from the circle of light on the pavement when he jumped forward and to the right, and a faint..._something_, rippled through the spot that he had formerly occupied. Shadow came up standing, and Amy ran towards him.

He barely had time to register her approach, and sensed the second Emerald's approach. Again, it was incredibly fast. Ducking down into a crouch, he spun around, aiming to sweep his opponent off his feet.

Instead, he sensed the Emerald come to a dead stop. Shadow looked right in the direction that it should have been in, and saw nothing. Changing strategies, he lunged forward, trying to grapple with his opponent.

"Uuuun!" Something collided with Amy, something that was very, very hard. Instinctively, she grabbed hold, her body moving into auto-pilot. Wrapping one arm around...whatever it was, she shoved forward, hoping that her foot was in front of its feet. Instead, her attacker seemed to rotate around her, and she drove her elbow backwards. Her arm exploded in pain, and she bit back a yelp. _Sonuvabitch, this thing is hard!_

Shadow growled as he teleported behind Amy, enveloping his fist in Chaos energy as he drove it forward. Judging by the pained expression on her face, her attempted attack had had the opposite effect that she had intended. Sure enough, as his fist struck something several inches away from her body, he could feel the solid resistance of metal._ A machine? Eggman!_

Whatever it was flickered into view briefly, but the darkness kept Shadow from getting more than a vague shape before it disappeared again. The three of them grappled and fought in the darkness. Whatever they were fighting was proving itself to be very skilled, reacting and counterattacking almost everything that they attempted.

Finally, a break came. A block-like shape smashed into Shadow's stomach, the incredible force of the blow sending him flying backwards and crashing into the pavement. Amy struggled alone briefly, before the same blocky object struck her temple. The blow made her limbs grow slack and her vision flicker, her thoughts a jumbled blur as she fell to the ground.

Shadow managed to raise his head enough in time to see her fall. "Rose!" He tried to push himself up, but his unseen opponent abruptly pushed him back down, cracking his head against the pavement. He struggled, and through the red haze that the blow had rendered on his mind, he felt his opponent searching for something on his body. _He wants the Emerald!_ He felt the unseen hand slip inside his vest, and withdraw the gem. Managing to intercept, Shadow found himself in a tug of war.

Taking a guess, he swung his free arm up, wincing as it collided with a solid object coming down towards his head. He growled, his teeth tightly clenched as he fought. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Amy lying limply on the ground. _No! I...will...not...LOSE!_ Drawing on the Emerald, energy surged through his body, and a faint red aura surrounded him. "Ch, Chaos...BLAST!" A solid sphere of red Chaos energy erupted off his body, slamming into his invisible opponent, dislodging its grip on the Emerald and throwing it backwards. A heavy metallic crash sounded nearby as it struck the sidewalk.

Shadow rolled onto his stomach, coughing as he pushed himself up. He raised his head, and saw a rectangular red, black and white metallic foot just inside the circle cast by the street light. The foot retreated into the darkness, and a pair of glowing red eyes rose from the ground. Shadow got to his feet, glaring across at the mysterious machine.

"Who are you!" he demanded, panting from the sudden energy drain of his attack. Even when using the Emerald, a Chaos Blast took its toll on him.

The eyes flickered once, like they were blinking, then blue light obscured them, fading away to reveal nothing. Instinct told Shadow that his opponent had retreated.

Quickly, he rushed to Amy's side. Her eyes were closed, and as he lowered his head, he could hear faint, shallow breathing. _Good! She's still alive._ Noticing a dark mark on her temple, he gently touched it. Feeling the fingertips of his glove become wet, he pulled away and cursed, the white leather turned red. _Damn it._ Gathering her in his arms, he closed his eyes.

"Chaos Control!"


	8. Unearthed Secrets

At first, all Amy was aware of was the steady throbbing in her head. It marched around and around in her skull, insistent and annoying. She pressed her hand to her forehead in a futile effort for relief, and felt...fabric?

Her eyes opened, and she was confronted with a rather large poster of a certain blue hedgehog. A ray of sunshine spilled across it from a nearby window. She frowned. _I remember making that. It was...three? No, four years ago? Which means I'm in my room._ She glanced down at the pink bedspread over top of her. _And in my bed, while wearing my clothes. Why am I wearing my clothes in bed?_

Blinking, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. A large fabric bandage surrounded her head, holding in place a thick pad on her temple. _Why do I have..._ She touched the pad and flinched in pain. Memory flashed through her mind. _There was...a fight. Somebody attacked me...and...Shadow!_

She looked around her room frantically, and stopped when she caught sight of him. Shadow was asleep, which was rare for her to see, in a small easy chair that was from her living room. She briefly wondered how he had managed to get it through the door of her room, then scolded herself. For someone who frequently teleported through space, and who had a Chaos Emerald in his possession, moving an easy chair was, well, easy.

Groaning slightly as the insistent buzzing in her brain refused to disperse, she studied Shadow. The beam of light from her window fell on his spines, just above his face, almost high-lighting the blood-red markings on them. _Did he stay there all night?_ she wondered. Again, she touched the bandage pad around her head. _Even in his sleep, he shows nothing. Does he ever just...let go?_

As she watched and pondered, the beam of sunlight slipped lower as the sun rose, until it shone on his eyes. He flinched, his brow creasing as he turned away. His eyes opened, the crimson gaze searching the room briefly, then settling on her. Her heart practically jumped into her throat, beating almost the exact same rhythm as her headache.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked, his voice slightly concerned.

She swallowed. "Uh, I just woke up."

He nodded, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Again, the blood-red markings on his spines almost glowed as they were highlighted by the sun. "Good. Don't make any fast movements, you were struck rather hard."

Amy nodded, swallowing again. "Yeah, I'm still kinda feeling it." She smiled slightly as she rubbed her head. "Guess I've still got a long way to go with my training."

Shadow blinked once, then shook his head. "No. It was to be expected. We knew nothing of that machine's capabilities, and it is always difficult to fight something that you cannot see." His gaze shifted towards the window. "Besides, if my suspicions are correct, then you would have had very little chance to begin with."

Amy considered his words. He obviously knows more than he's telling. She studied him for a moment, trying to probe the mask that he wore. _But then, it seems like that's always the case with Shadow._

For his part, Shadow was well aware of her inquisitive gaze. He could hazard a guess about what she was thinking about as well. _She doesn't understand. And she doesn't understand because she doesn't know._ He sighed inwardly. _And she won't know unless I tell her. The question remains, will I? Or even should I? My problems are not hers._ Just out of her sight, he smirked. _And yet, she seems intent on making them hers. And I cannot deny that I have made hers mine. Is that why this feels different?_

The more he thought, the more Shadow found himself puzzled about the situation in which he now found himself. Never before had he felt...compelled, to open himself to anyone, not since Maria at any rate. Normally, if anyone discovered anything about him, it was because they were present with Shadow when he learned these things himself. And yet, now he felt compelled to share something with this little pink hedgehog.

He frowned. _What is it about her? For that matter, I am as curious about that...incident at the lake as she is. For a moment, I felt...drawn to her._ He could feel her gaze still on him, and noted that, once again, she had remained silent. _Perhaps I'm rubbing off on her. Or perhaps she has realized that simply jabbering away isn't going to get her any information._

"Shadow?"

Blinking, he turned and looked at her. "Hmm?"

The expression on her face was one that he seldom saw. "Um, about, last night. I, I'm sorry."

He frowned, confused. _She already knows why the robot attacked, what is she apologizing for?_

Amy took a breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I'm sorry for, you know, before the attack. I get that you are a private person, and I shouldn't have been prying. If you wanted to tell me about yourself, you would. I shouldn't have pried like I had."

He seemed to consider her words, then said something that took her completely by surprise. "No, it is I who should apologize to you. Several times, you have wished to learn more about me, and each time I have treated you coldly, when you have done nothing to deserve such treatment." He leveled his crimson gaze at hers. "So, would you still like an answer to your question?"

Mentally stumbling at this surprising turn of events, Amy swung her legs out from beneath the covers of her bed and sat up in front of him. "Uh, sure. I mean, only if you want to."

Again, he studied her intensely, like he was searching for some hidden motive. He sighed, and bowed his head. "I remain apart, because you, and everyone else, will die." he said simply.

She frowned, confused. "I don't get it. People will die if you hang out? That doesn't make any sense."

"I am the Ultimate Lifeform, Amy Rose. I do not age. I do not become ill." He raised his head, his crimson gaze holding hers in a frightful grip. "How many other beings on this planet do you know that possess this same ability?"

Amy opened her mouth to respond, and after a couple seconds, closed it again as no examples came to mind. "I...I guess I don't."

Shadow nodded, and stood up, walking over to the window. "I thought so. I remain apart because I have no other choice. Years, decades, even centuries can pass, and I will likely remain the same that I am now, whereas you, Rouge, Sonic, Eggman, and everyone else you know will eventually be dust in the ground."

Amy wrapped her arms around herself. "Its...kinda hard to understand. I mean, if you're really immortal..."

"Not completely." She looked at him in confusion. "I simply cannot die a natural death. The reason for this is the Chaos Energy that I am constantly infused with. I am immune to age because my body produces new cells at approximately the same rate at which old cells die off. I am immune to disease because my immune system utilizes Chaos Energy as part of its defense, though I am not entirely certain as to how. I am slightly more durable than the average lifeform on this planet, and my regenerative capabilities are greatly enhanced. But I can still be injured, and the rate at which I can recover from injury depends on how much Chaos Energy is present in my body. Like any other, if I am sufficiently injured, or lose sufficient blood, I will die."

Amy gazed at him. "That's why you nearly died after stopping the ARK from crashing into the planet. You used up too much energy."

Shadow nodded. "That is correct. It is not easy to kill me, but I **can** be killed. Had Eggman not sent a machine to collect me, the collision with the ground would have been my end, if reentry hadn't." He sighed as he gazed out the window. "However, there is no avoiding the fact that, barring critical injury, I will remain unchanged." His voice turned bitter. "I am the Ultimate Lifeform."

Amy looked at him silently for a moment, uncertain of how to respond. _I...I had no idea. The idea is just...so...I don't even know._ "Is there anyone else who knows this?"

Shadow folded his arms, his eyes fastened on the horizon. "Rouge knows some from her own investigations. As for the rest, I'm sure she suspects, but she hasn't said anything. If there is anyone else, I am not aware of them."

"So I'm the first person you told this to?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Silence reigned over the room. As Shadow watched the sun drift higher into the sky, he felt an odd sense of relief, as though some great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He hadn't been expecting it, nor was he able to explain it.

Soft foot steps approached him from behind, and he turned to face Amy. She stood only two feet away from him, her hands clasped behind her back. Her expression was one of deep sorrow, something that he couldn't understand.

Abruptly, she stepped forward, her hands sliding beneath his arms and around his back, overlapping beneath his shoulder spines. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, her eyes closing as she held him tightly yet gently against her. She could feel him stiffen against her, and Amy hoped that this wasn't about to go rather wrong.

"I'm sorry." She looked up and found his face mere inches from hers, his crimson eyes unblinking and uncertain. "I'm sorry that you have to bear this. It isn't fair, knowing that everyone you know will one day die, and you probably won't. If I were in your place, I don't know if I could handle it."

Her head lowered, once again resting her cheek against his shoulder. "But that doesn't mean you have to bear it alone. There are people who care about you, and I think that, if you share your problems, it makes them a little easier to bear. And honestly, if I had to live forever, I would rather live with the memories of people I knew and loved, instead of none at all."

Shadow stared at the pink spines beneath his head. Her words and actions had caught him off guard, and he didn't know how to react. This situation was so far outside his experience, that he had half a mind to simply shove her off and leave.

And yet, his body was practically **thrumming**, hyperaware of every inch of contact between them. Never in his memory had he been so close to someone as he was now. Every sense seemed magnified, from the roaring blood in his ears, sharp detail of her spines, to the faint scent of Amy's fur in his nose. Above all else, Shadow's mind was torn, one part wanting rather desperately to pull away and escape, while another craved more. He had experienced anger, sorrow, confidence, even fear, but what he felt now was totally foreign to him.

Amy herself felt like she was on fire. She was acutely aware of her position, and she could almost hear the frenetic beat of Shadow's heart in her ear, her own easily keeping pace. Liquid fire surged through her veins, and she could hardly believe that she was doing what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away, only to jerk to a stop as Shadow seized her upper arms.

"Why?"

She looked up, swallowing. Shadow's brow was furrowed in confusion and uncertainty, his eyes bearing an intensity that both frightened and enthralled her. She gazed back in trepidation, her hands unconsciously moving to clasp his elbows.

"You are not the first person that has wanted to learn about my past. Most learn about it from other sources, or simply give up." His frown deepened. "You, on the other hand, have persisted in questioning **me**, not just on what I am, but **who** I am. You say that there are people who care about me, and I think that by people, you mean you. So why do you make so much effort?" His head inched forward, until only a single breath could pass between them. "Why do you care?"

Amy wasn't sure if were possible to be more nervous than she was now. "I...I don't...know."

Confusion flickered across Shadow's face. "You don't know?"

Licking her lips, Amy forged ahead. "Really, I don't know how to explain it. It's just...ever since I first met you, I've been curious about who you are, and why you act the way you do. Since you started training me, more and more questions kept coming, and you kept refusing to answer. No one should be alone like you are." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "And now, every time I look at you, or are even near you, I feel...different. I don't know how to describe it. It's almost like when I'm holding a Chaos Emerald, but different. All I know is that I feel it when I'm with you, and I can't shake it." Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. "I'm not even sure anymore if I **want** to shake it."

Of all the things that Amy could have said, those words were the ones that Shadow least expected. Of those words, he had also least expected them to mirror what he himself was feeling. He didn't understand it, and that lack of understanding kept him spiraling in circles. So, he said that only thing that he could at that moment.

"And if I were the same?"

It gave him a small amount of satisfaction to see the shock pass through Amy's eyes, but what followed it left him even more confused. He couldn't identify the emotion he found there, or why the simple act of seeing it made his heart speed up in a manner that he normally associated with anger or fear, when he felt neither of those emotions. His mind almost seemed locked and irresponsive.

As Amy gazed back at Shadow, she felt as though she was in a dream. Her vision was occupied by the deep crimson eyes that gazed down at her, for once without any trace of hardness or cynicism. She vaguely could feel his gloved hands still on her upper arms, though their firm grip was dwindled now to an almost tender cradle. Her breath came short and shallow, the sound of her heartbeat growing to a thunder that seemed to drown out the world.

Almost of their own accord, Amy's hands slid up from Shadow's elbows, drifting along his upper arms, the backs of her gloved knuckles brushing against his biceps. She took a step closer, until nothing save a screen of sunlight and two layers of clothing separated them. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she gently laid her hands on his shoulders, even as his slid down to cup her elbows. Amy's eyes drifted closed, and she moved the last few breaths forward.

Shadow's eyes widened as he felt Amy's lips meet his, and like a powerful shock had run through his body, all conscious thought stopped in his mind. The contact was tentative, her inexperience showing. And yet, somehow, that simple, hesitant touch managed to annihilate any and all thoughts save for what he was feeling. Instincts that Shadow didn't even know he had made him return the contact, closing his eyes to savour the experience.

"Well, well. What have we got here?"


	9. Rebound

"Well, well. What have we got here?"

The low, husky voice that came from behind Amy was like a bucket of freezing cold water on her head. She broke out of Shadow's grip with a gasp, whirling around to come face to face with Rouge Bat.

She was leaning against the door frame, her arms folded over her breastplate, one booted foot crossed over the other. Her expression was one of surprise, bemusement, and when she saw Amy's face, confusion. Her painted eyes flicked from hedgehog to hedgehog, and she frowned.

"Rouge! What, uh, what are you doing here? How did you get in here?" Amy stammered, blushing furiously in surprise and embarrassment.

Ignoring the pink hedgegirl for a moment, Rouge focused on her partner's stunned expression. _Now how did this happen I wonder? Shadow is the last person I would expect to be in a lip-lock._ Her gaze slid over to Amy. _Least of all with her. What's Blue Boy's biggest fangirl doing kissing Shadow?_ "I let myself in. That door lock was laughable."

Shadow's eyes blinked, and in an instance became an impenetrable mask. "Answer her first question."

Rouge turned her gaze back on the obsidian hedgehog. "You haven't been answering your comm since you turned it back on, so Command sent me to find you and bring you back. Thankfully, at least you kept it on this time."

Shadow frowned. "Command knows full well that if I am away, there is a reason for it."

Rouge nodded, her expression falling. "Yeah, well, things have changed in the last five months. You would have been informed, but that's kind of hard when no one knows where you are." She glanced over at Amy, who was looking back and forth between them in confusion. "What I would like to know, is why **you** are here."

Amy scowled at the pale-furred bat's tone. "I live here. Not that that is any of your business Rouge!"

Rouge's eyes widened, and she half-smiled as she looked at Shadow. "Is that so."

At Rouge's knowing tone, Shadow scowled. Reaching into his jacket, he withdrew his Chaos Emerald, which instantly, albeit briefly, captured her attention. "We're leaving."

Amy swallowed. "Wait!"

In the time it took for her to say the word, Shadow had crossed the room, one hand clapping over the bat's mouth to silence her, ignoring the cross look she shot him. Turning, he glanced at her expectantly.

Unconsciously, Amy's hands slipped behind her back, and she suddenly felt incredibly nervous. "When...uh...I mean...am I going to..."

Rouge noticed, much to her own confusion, a rather strange look appear on Shadow's face. He almost looked confused and...longing?

"Maybe." And with that, both G.U.N agents disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving Amy alone in her room.

For a moment, Amy simply stood there, staring at the place that the pair had been. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, the enormity of her previous action struck her. "I kissed Shadow?"

"I KISSED SHADOW?"

* * *

When the world before her eyes abruptly changed to that of Shadow's G.U.N quarters, a wave of vertigo slammed into Rouge's mind. Shoving his hand from her mouth, she braced herself against the closest wall. "Crap, a little warning next time would be nice!"

Shaking her head, she glared at him, and the angry expression promptly vanished. Shadow appeared as if he hadn't heard her, but was rather completely absorbed in a world of his own. He was staring blankly ahead, his expression puzzled and contemplative. His hand came up and touched his lips, his puzzled expression growing more pronounced.

"**AGENTS SHADOW AND ROUGE, REPORT TO THE CENTRAL OPERATIONS ROOM IMMEDIATELY FOR BRIEFING.**"

The booming voice over the intercom snapped Shadow from his thoughts, and he crossed to the door, exiting before Rouge could say a word.

Frowning at the closing door, Rouge sighed. _Great, getting anything out of him is a pain in the ass._ As she crossed to the door, she paused as she caught sight of something unusual.

Propped against the wall beside the low-set bunk, head down, was a large red and yellow hammer. The hammer head, consisting of a cylindrical block of red metal, was easily as thick as her neck, and each flat side was covered in a yellow steel cap. The handle was a slim yellow rod, almost as long as her arm and slightly thinner than her wrist.

Frowning, Rouge looked at the hammer for a long moment. _Isn't that Amy's hammer?_ Her painted gaze switched to the door. _This is...getting very interesting._

Shadow's Darkness skates clicked lightly against the metal floor as he moved down the corridor, ignoring the other agents around him. He was still puzzling over what had happened. Having never kissed someone before, or been kissed by anyone, he wasn't sure how to take it. At the very least, he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy it, though why was beyond him.

_Why did she do that? Why did I let her? What does it even mean?_ He sighed, rubbing his brow, a faint memory of the intense emotions that had charged him in that moment flashing through his mind. _Dammit, why am I feeling like this? This is so...confusing!_

A faint breeze brushed through his spines, and he turned his head as Rouge touched down beside him. "So, why do you have Pink's hammer?"

Shadow stared ahead, not meeting her eyes. "I'm keeping it...for now."

Rouge gave him a long look. "Why?"

Silence was her answer, and she sighed. "Come on, Shadow. I've been your partner for two years now, what's going on? You disappear for five months without warning, and then the next time I see you, you're practically on the verge of getting hot and heavy with Blue Boy's biggest fangirl. One of those things is not like you, so what gives?"

Shadow closed his eyes, sighing. "I don't know."

Rouge frowned. "You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?"

He glared at her in warning. "I just said, I don't know Rouge!" He sighed, rubbing his brow again. "Sorry."

Rouge's concern deepened. Shadow never apologized for anything. "Are you alright, Shadow? You're starting to worry me."

He stopped, gazing at the wall next to him as other agents passed around them. For a long moment, he remained silent, almost chewing on his words. "Things have...changed, but I don't know how or why." He turned his gaze back down the corridor and continued walking. "Let's just get to the briefing."

"Shadow!"

He stopped and turned, looking behind him in irritation and confusion. Rouge was pointing down a separate corridor. "Central Ops is this way."

He frowned. "It's always been this way." he said, his tone confused as he gestured down his own hallway.

Again, Rouge's expression fell, and she grabbed his wrist. "As I said back at Pinky's place, things have changed in the last five months."

* * *

Amy sighed as she walked down the street, her gloved hands thrust into the pockets of her pink jacket as she idly kicked a pebble, her pink boots scuffing against the pavement. Her thoughts had been stuck in a loop ever since Shadow and Rouge had left, and she didn't know how to break out of it.

_Why did I kiss Shadow?_ she wondered. _Why would I do something like that? I mean, I'm not interested in him in __**that**__ way, am I? I mean, sure, he's unusual...and he's had it rough...and kinda hot..._ She blushed deeply, her head bowing lower. _Oh, what am I doing? He probably isn't interested in me that way anyway._ She blinked. _Although, he did say that he felt the same way I was...and he did kiss me back...could he possibly..._ She gave herself a light slap. _Enough Amy! Thinking like that was what got you in that trouble with...him._ She sighed. _No, it was thinking that those tarot cards were right which got me into all that trouble. Stupid cards._

"Amy!"

Blinking at the voice, Amy stopped and turned around. Running up behind her was Tails, his twin tails trailing behind him from beneath his yellow jacket. Beside him was a tall black and grey robot. A three pointed yellow crest projected up from his brow, beneath which were a pair of deep set red and blue eyes. The eyes were half covered by the crest, giving the robot the appearance of scowling. A pair of yellow fins adorned his black cylindrical forearms, and each knee was covered by a similar fin.

Amy smiled, though Gemerl's ominous visage still gave her a slight shudder. "Hey Tails. Hi Gemerl. I was wondering why I didn't see you at Cream's party last night."

Tails smiled as the pair caught up with her. "I was doing some maintenance work. I was hoping that I would be done by Cream's party, but it didn't really work out that way. We were just on our way over."

Gemerl raised one grey hand, pointing at Amy's head. "**Amy has been injured. How did this happen?**" Tails frowned. "Yeah, you didn't have that bandage last night. What happened?"

Amy smiled as she touched the pad on her head. "I'll give you one mustached guess."

Tails grimaced. "Eggman. So he is back."

Gemerl nodded. "**I have been assisting Tails and Sonic in locating and tracking the Chaos Emeralds. There are currently only three Emeralds accounted for: Cyan, Grey and Yellow. We have been unable to locate the other four Emeralds. We believe that Dr. Eggman has been locating and obtaining them for his own purposes, though we do not yet know what that purpose is.**"

Amy nodded as the group continued walking. "Well, I can tell you that he has at least one, but I don't know which one it is. Shadow and I were attacked by some kind of robot last night when we were heading over to my place. Whatever it was, it was fast, and it could use Chaos Control."

Tail's eyes widened. "Uh oh. That's not good. What did it look like?"

Amy shrugged. "I dunno. I never actually managed to be able to see it, and I got right up against it too. It's like it was invisible. All I know is that I think it was a little taller than me, and it felt like it was built like Gemerl."

Gemerl's eyes flickered. "**Not good. What ever this machine is, Eggman must have made some new advances in technology.**"

Tails grimaced. "I'll see what I can do. If that robot was using a Chaos Emerald, I might be able to track it. If I can, then we might find out where Eggman is hiding." He frowned. "But, that still doesn't help us with the last three Emeralds."

Amy smiled. "Well, we don't have to worry about the Green Emerald. Shadow has that one, and you know how hard it is to steal something from Shadow."

Tails smiled. "Wow, already?" He suddenly frowned. "How do you know that, Amy?"

She shrugged, tucking her hands into her pockets, though she felt a weird sort of flutter in her chest. "When Shadow and I were attacked last night, the robot seemed to concentrate on Shadow. It only attacked me when I tried to help. After I got hit," she touched the bandage around her head, "Shadow drove it off with Chaos Blast."

Tails nodded. "I get it. And Shadow has to have an Emerald in order to use that power."

As they walked, Tails kept glancing at Amy. She seemed to be preoccupied with something, though he couldn't tell what. "Amy, can I ask you something?"

Blinking, she looked at the younger fox. "Sure Tails. What's up?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm just kind of curious about where you've been for the last five months. I mean, you practically vanished without a word to anyone."

Amy considered his words for a moment, then turned her gaze forward. "I'm sorry about that. I just...after what happened with, you know, I just needed some time away."

Gemerl turned his head to look at her. "**Five months is a lot of time, with no word. Cream was extremely worried.**"

Amy smiled slightly. "Yeah, I know. Again, I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

Tails smiled reassuringly. "It's okay Amy. I know that it was probably a lot to take in. But you could have sent us a message or something."

Amy swallowed sheepishly. "Um, yeah. Not really. I was kind of...remote."

The younger yellow fox frowned. "What do you mean?"

She paused, scuffing the ground with her boot. "Well...you see..."

"GEMERL! YOU'RE BACK!"

The piercing shout that echoed through the air was shortly followed by its source, as Cream flew straight in to welcome her mechanical friend home. "Oh, thank you so much Tails!"

Tails grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry for taking so long, Cream." He glanced at Amy, who simply smiled and made an _I'll tell you later_ gesture.

Cream beamed at him, then planted a kiss on his cheek. "That's okay, I know you did your best."

Amy stifled a giggle as Tails visibly reddened beneath his fur and stuttered. "Awe, that's so cute."

Cream smiled at her friend, but it promptly vanished when she saw the bandage around her head. "Amy! What happened to you? Are you okay?"

Gemerl patted her shoulder. "**Amy is fine, Cream. Let's go inside.**"

Despite his attempt at reassurance, the robot was rather curious himself about what Amy had been up to since her disappearance. Her physique had noticeably changed, and she seemed quieter than usual. _Something has happened since she left, and possibly since she returned._

Shadow stared at the images on the computer screen. It was almost like a slideshow of explosions. Various shots of different corridors, taken from different angles, some occupied, some not, would appear fine for a few seconds, then erupt in flame before ending in static and switching to a new image.

"We never stood a chance." A low, gravelly voice spoke from behind him, considerably elevated.

Shadow turned and gazed at the human behind him. Towering over both himself and Rouge, General Abraham Tower lived up to his name. Broad shouldered and barrel chested, the General seemed to exude an aura of authority and power. Clad in grey military dress pants and dress shirt, with red and gold epaulets and lapels, he stood every inch the military man. "Casualties?" Shadow queried.

General Tower sighed almost imperceptibly. "Minimal, and all indirect. Most of the injuries were from falling debris as well, save for those within Central Operations."

Rouge picked nonexistent dirt from her glove. "And there were plenty of those."

Shadow glanced at her briefly, his mind whirring. "How long ago?"

"A month and a half ago."

Switching his gaze back to the General, Shadow crossed his arms as he leaned against the computer console, his fingers tapping at his elbows. "What happened?"

General Tower clasped his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth. "The...attack, came without warning. The explosions came before the alarms went off. By the time we realized that we were under attack, it had already pierced three levels. By the time we tried to muster a defense, it had almost breached Central Operations. It was consistent. No one ever saw what it was, only what it did."

Rouge blew on her glove, her eyes hooded and glittering with irritation. "Once it gained entry to Central Ops, it plugged into the central database, and cracked it in under three minutes."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. _Interesting._ "What did it take?"

General Tower sighed, and for the first time since the obsidian hedgehog entered Central Ops that day, his authoritative figure seemed diminished. "We have no idea. After downloading whatever it was that it came for, it wiped the entire database clean. After that, it simply vanished."

Shadow nodded, then turned and gazed at the repeating images on the computer. "Unsurprising."

General Tower frowned. "What do you know, Shadow?"

An image played on the screen of the Central Operations room. The guards that were posted there appeared ready for a fight, then the wall exploded. A shadowy shape erupted from the smoke, but was not directly visible. One of the guards crumpled to the ground as if struck, followed by two others.

Shadow frowned. _The blows appear to be non-lethal. Eggman's machines aren't usually known for their mercy._ "At least some of the data that the machine downloaded was the software the G.U.N uses to track its agents. The same machine used that software to attack Amy Rose and me last night."

Rouge's eyes widened. "So that's why she had a bandage around her head."

Shadow nodded. "This machine is at least as fast as I am. It also uses some sort of adaptive camouflage or cloaking mechanism to conceal itself, advanced enough that it can effectively maintain it even at considerable speed. And obviously it has much the same weapon's systems that many of Eggman's other machines possess."

General Tower frowned. "But how was it able to attack us without warning? Even if it was moving as fast as it possibly could, our early warning systems would still have given us more than enough warning."

Shadow rewound the recording, watching the guards get struck down again. "Because it attacked here the exact same way I would. We know that Eggman was experimenting with giving machines Chaos Powers."

Rouge swallowed. "Like Chaos Control."

A heavy silence descended on the group. All of them knew just how dangerous a machine that could appear anywhere, at anytime, without warning could be in Eggman's hands.

Finally, General Tower straightened his uniform. "I have to brief the President on this new information. Shadow, how effective was the machine's use of Chaos Control?"

Shadow rewound the recording a third time. "As effective as my own."

His words made the general pause for a moment, then departed to his office.

Rouge sauntered next to Shadow, frowning. "Eggman must have sent the machine to steal your Chaos Emerald."

Shadow nodded, grimacing as he played back the recording again. "Mhmm. It nearly succeeded."

The pale bat looked at him in surprise. Rare was the opponent who could give Shadow an actual challenge. "Does this thing have any weakness's?"

Shadow frowned as he studied the incapacitated guards on the screen. "A strong enough energy surge can disrupt its concealment systems. The only reason that the machine failed to take the Emerald is because I used Chaos Blast against it, something that it apparently wasn't expecting."

Rouge's gaze flicked between her partner and the screen he was staring at. "What are you looking for?"

His frown deepened. "When Rose was struck last night, that machine could have easily killed her. Instead, all it did was knock her out. When it nearly took the Emerald, it could have easily killed me with any of the weapon's that it used in this assault. Instead, it tried to knock me out as well." He pointed at the screen. "And look at them. None of those guards that were hit appear to have sustained life-threatening injuries."

Rouge looked at the screen, then nodded. "You're right. In fact, those guys got off lightest. All the rest of the injured and dead were the result of falling debris."

Shadow nodded. "Even last night, it didn't need to engage me at all. All it would have needed to do was snipe me from behind, and it could have taken the Emerald without any trouble."

Rouge turned and perched on the computer console. "Sounds to me like Eggman's new toy has a conscience. Another AI maybe? Could a new member of the Metal series."

Shadow gazed at the computer screen. "Maybe." He straightened, and turned to leave the Central Ops room.

Rouge leveled a curious gaze at him. "Where're you going?"

Shadow paused as the door opened, his head turned to one side. "To get some answers." And with that, he left, the door closing behind him.

The steel toe of Rouge's boot tapped against the floor, her gaze puzzled and reflective. "To what questions?" she said softly.


	10. Advice

Amy gazed at the wall across from her in silence, reclining in a soft easy chair. Her mind was dominated by the intimate kiss she had had earlier that day, her thoughts running circles as she tried to figure it out.

_Crap, what am I going to do when I see him again? He's going to want to know why I did it, and I can't tell him because I don't know! Urrgh, how did I get like this?_ She sighed. _Why am I even worrying about seeing him again? I don't even know if I will see him again._

"Amy?"

Blinking, she glanced up to see Vanilla frowning at her in concern. "Are you okay dear? You've been awfully quiet."

Amy sighed and looked out the window, where Cream, Cheese and Gemerl were working in the back garden, Tails having left hours before. "Sorry, I'm just trying to work things out in my head. A lot of stuff has happened, you know?"

Vanilla smiled gently at the teenage hedgegirl. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No, it's...something I need to figure out on my own. Thanks though."

Vanilla frowned. She could tell that something was eating at the girl, and guessed that something else had happened other than just being attacked last night. "Amy, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Amy nodded, but didn't take her gaze away from the window. "Yeah, I know."

Vanilla watched her for a moment more, then went back to sweeping the kitchen floor. Silence reigned over the room, then Amy suddenly spoke up.

"Vanilla, can I ask you something?"

The elder rabbit stopped and looked at her, the girl's expression uncertain. "Of course, Amy dear. Anything."

Amy glanced away for a moment, chewing on her thoughts. "What was it like when Cream's dad was here? Like, how did you feel?"

It took a moment for her words to register in Vanilla's mind, as she stared in surprise. "Oh."

Amy's face immediately fell. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Vanilla sighed, and leaned her broom against the counter before joining her in the living room. "No, it's okay dear." Sitting down, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Jack was...when I first met him, I thought that he was the handsomest boy I had ever met." As she spoke, her eyes took on a faraway expression, traveling down through memories. "He was so sweet. When he first said hi, I was so weak at the knees, I thought I was going to fall. I couldn't even say anything, I was so shy. He just laughed, and said that I must not get out much. After that, I was smitten." She turned and gazed up at the mantel, where a number of pictures were arrayed. "Don't get me wrong, nothing happened at first. We were just friends. We spent nearly every minute of everyday together, laughing and talking the day away. I suppose the thing that I liked most about him, was how strong he was." She smiled at Amy. "I don't mean strong, like Knuckles is. He just...oh, how do I describe it...when I was with him, everything just felt safe. Like nothing could go wrong, there was no evil people like Eggman in the world, and everything was right." She sighed. "We were friends for years. And then, well, things changed."

Amy was utterly captivated. "What happened?"

Vanilla smiled. "Well, one day, we were out walking, not really doing anything. And then, out of the blue, he asked me if he could take me somewhere. I was so surprised, since he had never needed to ask me before, but I said sure." She sighed, supporting her head on her hand. "He took me to this absolutely beautiful public garden. It was late spring, almost summer really, so all the flowers were in full bloom. We walked for a bit, and he was so quiet, I thought that something might be wrong. Then, we stopped in front of some daisies, and he knelt down and picked one. He looked at it for a moment, and then stood up and gave it to me. He smiled, and said that he really like being with me. I laughed, and said that I liked being with him too." She sighed. "Then he leaned forward, kissed me on the cheek, and asked if he could take me out on a date."

Amy smiled. "Wow. For a second there, I thought you were gonna say that he asked you to marry him."

Vanilla laughed. "No, but that did happen much the same way. He told me later that he had never been more terrified in his life, he was so scared that he would mess up, or that I would say no."

Amy laughed with her, covering her mouth with her hand. "Well, at least tell me you said yes."

Vanilla smiled at her. "Well of course I did!" She sighed. "Everyday after that, whenever we saw each other, he would give me a flower, and if it was a date, he would give me a full bouquet. As it turned out, his mother, Cream's grandmother, was a gardener, so he never left home without one if he thought there was the slightest chance that he would see me." She turned and gazed up at the mantle again. "A year later, he asked me to marry him in the exact same garden."

Amy was leaning so far over the arm of her chair, she was nearly falling off. "Wow."

Vanilla nodded with a contented smile on her face. "Jack...he had a way of making me feel special. When we were together, it was like I was floating in the clouds. When we were apart, I couldn't wait to see him again." She sighed sadly as she turned and gazed out the window at her daughter. "It's a shame that he didn't live to see his daughter grow up. He would be so proud."

Silence reigned again, as the pair watched the twelve-year-old rabbitgirl turn over soil with her Chao and Gizoid friends. After a moment, Amy sighed.

"What's wrong Amy?"

She looked at Vanilla and half-smiled. "I don't know. It's just...I spent years thinking that I was in love, you know? And now, after what happened...I'm not really sure if I was, or if I even know what love is."

Vanilla smiled gently, and leaned over to place her hand over the girl's. "I think that, in your own way, you were in love. And in his way, Sonic loves you too." She sighed. "You just...didn't love each other in the same way, that's all."

Amy smiled, wiping her eyes as tears threatened to show themselves. "I guess." She sighed. "Everything's just so...confusing."

Vanilla considered her words for a moment. "Amy, I don't know what to tell you. All you can do is what you think is right for yourself."

"That's the problem. I don't know what's right for me right now."

Rising from her chair, Vanilla wrapped her in a gentle hug. "Then don't worry about what you don't know. The funny thing about love, is that it has a way of making itself obvious when the time is right."

Sighing, Amy watched as the elder rabbit joined her daughter in the garden. _Maybe, but until then, what am I going to do?_

-

_ Shadow's gaze pierced the dimly lit room as he passed through the open door, the only light supplied by the massive window set in the metal wall. The view was dominated by the blue-green planet below, a sight that never failed to enthrall him. Other than that, though, the room was empty and deserted._

_ He knew where he was. This was the observation room of the ARK, a place that he had not been in for over two years since sealing the station after using its Eclipse Cannon to destroy the Black Comet. A place that had once served as the sole reason for his existence, that gave him solace and hope. Now it served as a tomb for his past._

So why am I here? _He wondered as he approached the window._

_ "Are you going to stare out that window all day?"_

_ Turning in surprise at the teasing voice behind him, Shadow was confronted with a face that he hadn't seen in the flesh for decades. _

_ To his eyes, she had the face of an angel. Dark blue eyes gazed out of a pale, gentle face, brimming with warmth and kindness. Small hands adjusted a dark blue dress top, the matching light blue dress swirling slightly around her knees as she stepped forward. Her dark blue pumps barely made a sound on the metal floor, and her shoulder length blond hair almost seemed to glow like a halo in the dim light._

_ Shadow swallowed, old memories and feelings bubbling to the surface of his mind. "Maria?"_

_ The human girl smiled as she reached his side. "So what's it like down there?"_

_ Shadow was at a loss. "Bu, but...you're..."_

_ Sighing, she gave him a teasing look. "Dead? I know."_

_ "Then...how..."_

_ She laughed, a sound like little bells pealing through summer air. "You're dreaming, silly."_

_ At her words, Shadow's shoulders fell, the ashes of faint hope growing colder. "I see." I can't even tell when I'm dreaming anymore?_

_ A gentle touch on his shoulder roused him, and again he was confronted by her smiling face. "Oh, come on, don't be gloomy. You should be happy." Turning, she gazed out the window. "Remember how long we would stand here, looking down at the planet, talking about what it might be like to actually be down there?"_

_ Folding his arms, Shadow followed her gaze. "It has been a long time." His brow furrowed. "It...didn't quite live up to expectation, in some ways."_

_ Maria smiled. "Things often don't. So it's our job to make them better." She looked at him kindly. "That's what you've been doing."_

_ The obsidian hedgehog sighed. "Sometimes it doesn't feel as though I am. These humans...don't always think like we did." His voice softened. "I don't think like I used to."_

_ "I know. But that's Grandpa's fault, not yours. Not even his, really. He got sick." She giggled as she hugged him. "And you got better, remember? Even if you did try to break everything."_

_ Swallowing, he looked away. "How do you..."_

_ "You're dreaming, remember?" She tapped the side of his head. "I'm not even the real Maria, just your memory of her. So I know everything you know."_

_ Sighing, Shadow couldn't help but smile. "Right." _

_ "And you even managed to fix Grandpa's mistake. You've helped a lot of people. Like Rose."_

_ Shadow could feel his cheeks redden at her name, and he looked away. Maria giggled. "Aw, Shadow, are you blushing?"_

_ "It's...complicated."_

_ Turning to face him, Maria got down on her knees so that their heads were level and took his hands. "How's it complicated?"_

_ He scowled at her. "You know why it's complicated."_

_ "No I don't, because it's not really that complicated. You like her, I can tell."_

_ Yanking his hands free, Shadow took a step back. "What do you mean?"_

_ Maria gave him a knowing look, and Shadow could feel his blush growing deeper as the memory of the kiss they had shared flashed through his mind. "Oh, come on. It's okay to admit it, even if it's just to yourself."_

_ Shadow's gaze flitted around the room, uncomfortably shuffling his feet. "I...fine. Yes, I like her."_

_ Maria smiled, drawing her knees up to her chest as she tilted her head to one side. "So, why are you up here with me, instead of down there with her?" She glanced towards the window, and Shadow followed her gaze to the glowing planet before them._

_ "Because I am uncertain, Maria."_

_ She frowned, drawing her knees tighter. "About what?"_

_ He sighed. "I am uncertain what I feel in regards to Rose. I feel...strange when I am with her, and when I am apart from her, I find that she increasingly dominates my waking thoughts. It is frustrating and..."_

_ Maria smiled. "Confusing?"_

_ He grinned almost imperceptibly. "Yes." His expression fell. "I know that I feel different about her than I do about others, like Rouge or that faker, but I don't understand how or why."_

_ Maria smiled kindly. "Well, what do you feel?"_

_ Shadow's gaze grew distant as he gazed down at the planet below. "I feel...alive. Like she energizes me somehow. And...something that I don't have a name for. My thoughts become convoluted when I look at her, and I can pick out the smallest details of her face from memory." Gradually, a small smile grew on his face. "She's persistent. Her kindness knows no bounds." He chuckled slightly. "Neither does her temper. I think I may have only made it even more fearsome, having taught her to control it." He grew somber. "The things she said that morning...it surprised me how much they match my own." _

_ His fingers drifted up to touch his mouth, and he could have sworn that he could feel her lips on his again. "Had Rouge not interrupted us, I don't know what would have happened." He sighed. "For once, I don't know what to do."_

_ He started as he felt Maria's hand on her shoulder. "Shadow?"_

_ Looking over his shoulder, he frowned at the sad expression on her face. "Yes Maria?"_

_ "I think you do know what you need to do." She sighed. "It's time to wake up."_

-

The crisp salty scent of the ocean, combined with the whooshing of the tide greeted Shadow as he rose from slumber. His crimson gaze flicked open, staring up at the golden sky. Pushing himself up, he gazed across at the setting sun, sitting right at the edge of the cliff, his heels bumping against the rock face as they were buffeted by the wind.

He was silent for a long moment, watching the sun's descent. Finally, he turned and gazed at the red and gold hammer that lay beside him, his fingers tapping the ground. _Hmmm._


	11. You've been warned

Amy sighed as she closed the door of her apartment, resting her forehead against the wood._ It's been over a week, and I haven't seen or heard anything from Shadow. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but still, I had hoped that maybe...Oh, I don't know what I was hoping for._

"Okay, Pinky, time to spill."

Jumping at the terse voice, Amy spun around to find Rouge sitting on her kitchen table. Her arms were folded over her ample chest, one foot idly tapping the heel of the other, and a critical expression on her face.

Pressing a hand to her chest in a vain attempt to calm her heart, Amy glared at the older bat. "What are you doing in my apartment, Rouge." she demanded, her voice even and cool.

Rouge shrugged, her wings folded tight against her back as she returned the glare without flinching. "I told you that door lock was a joke." Her eyes narrowed. "Now start talking."

Irritation welled in Amy's chest, and she took a measured breath to calm herself. _Yeesh, this woman annoys me._ "What are you talking about?"

Rouge's voice turned icy, and her fingers began tapping at her elbows. "Don't play dumb with me, sweetheart. Since when does Sonic's biggest fangirl start locking lips with his biggest rival?"

Amy gritted her teeth, her hands clenching tight. "I'm not his fangirl."

Rouge rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, gimme a break. You've been touting the 'we're in love' line for years, you're not going to stop now." A narrow, icy glare shot across the room. "So what, did you decide to try and make Sonic jealous by trying to get with Shadow? Because you've got a"

"I SAID, I'M NOT HIS STUPID FANGIRL!"

The older bat clamped her sensitive ears down against her head with her hands. "Eesh, girl, tone it down will ya? These ears ain't just for show." Glancing over at the pink hedgegirl, Rouge leaned back in surprise. The girl's body was held rigid, and the angry snarl on her face radiated irritation and disgust.

"I don't want anything to do with that jerk, do you understand? Nothing!"

Rouge regarded her for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Oh, hahahahahahahahaha!" Clutching at her sides, her wings briefly swept through the air to keep her from falling from the table. "Haha! Oh, this is too good. Let me guess, blue boy finally worked up the nerve to tell you no?" Grinning broadly, she leaned forward as her wings folded against her back. "Honestly, I didn't think that he had it in him."

Seething with anger, Amy had to suppress the urge to strangle the other woman. Taking another calming breath, not that it did much to help, she stiffly walked into her living room. "Yes, he told me that he didn't want to date me. That was five months ago, so what."

Still smiling in amusement, Rouge's ears perked up at the hedgegirl's words. "Five months ago?" Gears began clicking in her head. "Shadow went off the grid five months ago." Turning a curious and rapidly darkening glance in Amy's direction, certain thoughts began percolating in Rouge's mind, going in a direction that she didn't really like. "Same time as you did."

Spinning around, Amy frowned. "How do you know that?"

Sliding off of the table, Rouge sauntered into the living room, one hand sitting on her hip. "Honey, there isn't a whole lot that I don't hear about. Especially when it comes to your little group. The G.U.N likes to keep track of independents." Her steel-toed boots sank into the pink carpeting as she approached the younger girl.

Amy stood her ground, meeting the G.U.N agent eye for eye. "What do you want, Rouge?"

"I told you. I want to know what's going on between you and Shadow. You both disappear for five months, and when you both show up again, you're on the verge of getting hot and heavy. So what gives?"

Amy gritted her teeth. "Since when do you care? All you've ever cared about before are your precious jewels."

Rouge scowled angrily. "I care because Shadow is MY partner! I was the one who woke him up from Eggman's stasis pod after he fell from the ARK. I was the one who stayed with him through that whole fiasco with Metal Sonic. I'm the one who's had his back for the past TWO YEARS! I'm the closest thing he has to a friend!" Throughout her tirade, Rouge had been steadily moving forward, until the two women were nearly nose to nose. "We look out for each other, because that is what partners do. Anything that makes Shadow its business becomes MY business. So what? Did you decide that if you couldn't have Sonic, that you'd make a shot at the next best thing?"

"NO! That's not it at all!"

"Then what is it! What's going on?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Amy screamed, tears brimming in her emerald eyes, her hands clenched so tightly that it felt like her fingers were about to rip through her gloves.

Throwing up her hands, Rouge turned and stalked away. "What is it with you two and not knowing things? Shadow's even stranger than usual, changing moods faster than Eggman when he's on the ropes, and now you! What is going on!"

She froze in mid-step, her large, sensitive ears rotating back slightly. Soft, quiet sobbing filtered through the air, and Rouge turned around. Amy had fallen to her knees, her hands clasped over her face, shoulders barely yet noticeably shaking.

Frowning, Rouge sighed in faint regret. "Why are you crying?"

Amy hiccuped slightly. "I...I don't know. All we were doing was training. I just wanted to get better so that I wouldn't have to rely on Sonic to save me. I just wanted to be able to move on. I didn't...I didn't expect to get so close!"

Rouge swallowed, and knelt down in front of the sobbing girl. "Easy there, you're going to make your face all messy."

Rubbing the tears out of her eyes, Amy hiccuped again. "He just...he's so different! He's not like anybody I know, and I don't understand what I'm feeling, and then last night...Hell, this morning! I woke up, and he was there, sitting right next to the bed. He took care of me after the attack. And we started talking, and I told him how confused I was, and he said he was the same, and...and...I kissed him! Fuck, I kissed him, and I don't know why, and I don't even know what I'm going to do if I see him again. I'm just...I don't know!"

Rouge sighed and got to her feet. _Ah, fuck. This is why I don't get involved in crap like this. Way too much drama._ Walking into the kitchen, she got some paper towels and handed them to Amy. "Here, clean yourself up. You have no idea how hard it is to get stains out of designer clothes." Crossing her legs as she sat down, Rouge sighed again as Amy wiped her eyes. "Alright, here's the deal. I'm not going to tell you what to do here. I don't go through this stuff, not my thing. But here's what I am going to tell you, so listen up."

Amy nodded, drawing her knees up beneath her chin.

"However confused or whatever you think you are, I can guarantee that Shadow is even more confused. This is the first time he's ever been in this kind of situation, so he's flying blind. You probably will see him again, in fact I would bet that it'll be real soon. Whatever you do is up to you." Rouge gave Amy a hard look. "But I want you to understand something. Shadow is not some rebound. If you decide that you want to pursue something with him, it has to be because you are genuinely interested in Shadow, not because you're broken up or angry about Sonic. You probably know as well as I do that Shadow has had a hard life. He DESERVES someone who is actually interested in him and wants to see him happy. If this is anything less than that, you will answer to me, and I will kick your ass clear into space. Understand me?"

Amy nodded again, wiping her nose with the paper towels. "Right. I got it." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for getting all weepy on you."

Rouge shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, we're girls. We're entitled to a break-down every now and then."

Amy giggled, and Rouge smiled as she glanced off to the side. _Eh, still gotta lot to learn, but she's not so bad._ "So you've been training with Shadow. I dunno whether to call you brave or stupid. I've seen him train, he's very harsh on himself."

Nodding, Amy gazed off into space. "Yeah, so I've been learning. It hasn't been easy, but it works. I'm a lot better than I was." She smiled. "He even taught me how to use Chaos Control."

Rouge looked at her in surprise. "Really? Huh." Wouldn't have expected that. Now I'm really curious?

Silence fell for a moment, as hedgehog and bat thought about their obsidian friend.

"He really is unlike anyone else, isn't he?"

Rouge sighed wearily. "Amy, you have no idea." She paused, trying to decide how best to frame her words. "You remember how he was when Eggman first woke him up? How much he hated this planet and everyone on it?"

Amy nodded. It had been so hard for her to believe that someone could hold that much hatred.

"Shadow's been my partner for two years. He's one of the few people that I would trust with my life. But there are times when I am reminded of how he was before. He still has a less than stellar opinion of people in general, and occasionally he even scares me how intense he can get." Rouge turned and gave Amy a steady look as she got to her feet. "Shadow is no white knight, Amy. I'm warning you, for both you and him, to be very careful."

Amy nodded. "I will. And Rouge?"

The elder bat paused at the door, one thin eyebrow raised in question.

The pink hedgegirl smiled. "Thanks."

Rouge smirked. "Don't think I'm getting all cutesy friendly with you. Shadow is my first and main concern." She nearly closed the door behind her, then poked her head back in. "Oh, and remember, you hurt him, I hurt you."

Amy sighed as her front door closed. _Well, I suppose that could have been worse. What was I expecting, it's Rouge._ A knock sounded at the door, and a wry grin crossed her face as she got to her feet. "Oh, did you finally decide that you could knock Rou"

Her voice froze in her throat when she opened the door.

Shadow glanced up, and swallowed. He had hoped that after a week, he would have more control over himself when he was around her, but given that he could feel his heart speeding up slightly, or the strange feeling of warmth spreading through his chest, that clearly wasn't the case. _Either I am not quite so immune to disease, or my feelings towards Rose are much different than I thought._ "So, my partner was here, was she?"

Nodding, Amy gripped the door, her stomach fluttering as she scrambled to think. Come on, Amy, think. "Um, yeah. She actually just left, like, a few seconds ago. You didn't pass her?"

Shaking his head, Shadow frowned inwardly. _Of course she was here. Is there anything that that bat doesn't get herself involved in?_ "No. I used Chaos Control to get here. Besides, Rouge is very talented at leaving unnoticed."

"Not by you though." Amy smiled.

Much to his own surprise, Shadow found himself returning with a small smile of his own. "True."

Gesturing, Amy stepped aside. "D, do you wanna come in?" _Stay calm, Amy. You just want to talk. And maybe kiss him again. Amy!_

_Oh, you have no idea, do you._ Giving himself a mental shake, Shadow's expression grew more serious. "No, but I do need you to come with me. We're going for a run."

Frowning in confusion, Amy stepped outside and closed her door. "Where are we going?"

Shadow turned and walked down the hallway. "I don't have a lot of time. Eggman is moving quickly, and very soon I am going to be given orders to help secure the few remaining Chaos Emeralds." He glanced over his shoulder. "Which means, it is time for you to earn your hammer back."


	12. Fulfillment

The forest was quiet. Barely a breeze stirred within the canopy, and darkness shrouded the mossen floor. It was like everything was frozen in time, forever unchanged.

And yet, that was most certainly not the case. Through the darkness, an even darker shape sped between the trees, like a living shadow. It moved silently and purposefully, throwing up leaves in its wake. Moving too quickly for the eye to follow, even the most attentive and keen-sighted observer would be lucky to get more than a blurry glimpse.

Shadow, for that's what the blur was, was on the hunt.

Passing within a hair's breadth of the trees around him, Shadow's every sense was hyper-alert, searching for his target. He knew that he was close, always keeping his target just out of sight until he felt the moment was right.

Keen crimson eyes caught a flash of pink ahead, and Shadow smirked. Leaning forwards, he accelerated forward, Chaos energy crackling in his hands. Slowly, his target came into view, darting between the trees. Shadow's eyes narrowed, and he felt his pulse race as he drew closer.

Swiping his hand through the air, he launched three Chaos Spears forward, the glowing yellow bolts of energy shooting through the air at blinding speed. The pink blur ahead shot to the side seconds before impact, the spears cratering the ground it had previously occupied.

Shadow frowned. _Interesting._ Concentrating, he drew on the Chaos Emerald in his hand and teleported forward, anticipating his target's path. Skidding to a stop, his stuck his foot out and readied his fist.

By this point, Amy was operating entirely on instinct, acting and reacting to everything in her path. All she knew was the thump of her heartbeat in her chest, the steady drumbeat of the ground beneath her boots, and the rush of the wind in her ears. When the blue flash of Shadow's Chaos Control registered in her brain, she simply jumped, gaining momentum by pin-balling off several trees with her Homing Attack before hurtling straight at Shadow.

Though somewhat surprised, Shadow didn't hesitate. Launching into his own Homing Attack, the two hedgehogs grated against each other for a few seconds, then bounced off, skidding to a stop opposite each other. Charging forward, Shadow swung for her head, even as Amy slid down below, aiming to sweep his feet out from under him.

Shadow jumped and twisted, firing a Chaos Spear beneath him, only for Amy to already be moving, rolling to the side and coming up on her feet. Pink and black gazed across at each other, Amy breathing hard after a several hours of running, Shadow masking his own exertions. Taking a deep breath, Amy focused and boosted forward, her boots nearly turning into a blur beneath her. Firing another Chaos Spear, Shadow was surprised when she somersaulted over the bolt of energy, smoothly transitioning into a Spin Attack. He barely had time to lunge to the side in an effort to dodge, and by the time he came back up on his feet, she was already gone.

_Very interesting. She's doing much better than I expected._ He smiled slightly as he started running, his hover-skates thrumming against his feet as he picked up speed. _She really does want that hammer back._

-

Amy gritted her teeth in frustration as she ran. _Come on! I'm so close now, I can feel it! It's gotta be around here somewhere._ Her entire body was aching, never having ran so fast for so long. The only breaks she ever really had over the past several hours was when Shadow chose to attack her, and even then each fight was like a fight for her life. _Still, I can't give up. Even if I can't beat Shadow, I still have to prove that I'm good enough to fight for myself. I am NOT going to rely on Sonic ever again._

Glancing around, she noticed that the trees were noticeably larger, and the air was starting to get cooler. Slowing to a stop, she listened intently, searching for the telltale sound of water flowing. Glancing down, she looked at the comm-unit on her wrist, checking to see if the she was still going in the right direction.

-

_"Here."_

_ Amy frowned when they arrived at Shadow's cliff, and he handed her the small device on his wrist. "What is it?"_

_ Taking her hand, Shadow strapped the watch-like device behind the gold bangle on her wrist. "It's a G.U.N comm-unit. I programmed in the location of our training ground. You'll need this if you're going to find it."_

_ Momentarily distracted by his touch, Amy gazed at him in confusion. "Wait, so we're not just going to teleport there?"_

_ Shadow smirked, taking a step back as he shouldered her hammer. "I told you, it is time for you to earn your hammer back." Tapping the hammer with his finger, he pointed off into the forest. "I will be placing this at the top of the cliff above our training camp. There isn't anything between there and here that you can't handle, but that's not to say it will be easy."_

_ Swallowing, the thought of the journey ahead of Amy was daunting._ Still, if he thinks I can do it, then I will. _"What about you? Will you be waiting there for me?"_

_ Shadow's amused smile grew wider. "No." And with that final word, he disappeared in a flash of blue light. _

_ Gulping, Amy looked down at the comm-unit around her wrist. Sure enough, there was a smaller arrow on the screen pointing in the same direction that Shadow had. _Well, it's not like I didn't know this time was going to come._ Taking a breath, she readied herself for what she was sure was going to be the longest race of her life._ Here goes nothing!

-

The small arrow on the comm-unit screen was still pointing straight ahead of her, and she smiled. _Good. Still going in the right direction._ She figured that it was only a matter of time before she found the campsite.

A tingling sensation creeped down her neck, and she frowned as she turned around. It was something that she had noticed was starting to happen occasionally late in their training, when she was about to be attacked. She didn't really notice it when she was fighting, and it didn't always happen, but it was starting to become noticeable in her memory. _I'm not sure what it means, but if it's warning me of danger, or something like that, I'll take whatever I can get._

Turning back in the direction she had been running before, she took off, weaving between the trees as she accelerated up to full speed. As she ran, the wind in her face gradually became cooler, a refreshing feeling after the hours of running and fighting she had endured. Blurry mist filtered into her vision, and she grinned. _Yes! Finally, I'm here!_ Gradually, the cliff came into view, the clearing around it bathed red in the rising sun. Energy surged through Amy's veins, and she put on an extra burst of speed as she jumped, her fingers latching onto a ledge.

Climbing with reinforced determination, her teeth clenched in effort as she sought out every hand and foothold within her reach, she thought back on all the days that had lead to this. All the bruises, blows, cuts and burns she had received. All the painful lectures and demonstrations that Shadow had given. It had been a long way from enjoyable, but looking back, she knew that she wouldn't have done it any other way. She was stronger for it.

A yellow bolt of energy flashed in the corner of her eye, and the Chaos Lance exploded two feet from her hand, shocking her out of her revery as her hand and foot slipped from their hold. Dangling, arm and leg waving as they desperately sought something to hold and secure her, she gulped. _Crap, crap crap!_

With a sigh of relief, she gripped a small ledge with her fingers, a tenuous hold at best, but better than nothing. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Shadow standing at the edge of the pool below her, Chaos Energy roiling in his hand. They stared at each other for a long moment, then she nodded and resumed her climb.

Shadow's quiet smile grew slightly as he watched her approach the top. _Good._ Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the Chaos Emerald in his hand, instinctively feeling the shift through space. As he opened his eyes, his face became an expressionless mask as Amy climbed over the ledge, panting for a moment as she crouched on the ground.

Thirty yards of bare rock separated them. To Amy's left, a crimson sun half-risen over the horizon flushed the rock a deep red, her own fur, dress and boots nearly matching it in hue, her white gloves just the faintest hint of pink. Shadow stood with his arms hung loosely by his side, the red streaks in his spines, fur, pants and vest matching the light perfectly. Even his ebony fur had a bloody hue to it, though the glimmering green Emerald in his hand seemed immune to the dye cast by the sun.

Halfway between them, its slim haft pointing towards its owner, lay Amy's red and gold Piko hammer. The golden metal haft and twin faces gleamed like burnished brass, the red center of the head practically glowing like a coal in the sunrise.

For a moment, though, Amy ignored her prize. Instead, her attention was focused solely on Shadow, her jade eyes locked with his scarlet ones. Her breathing slowly calming as she rose to her feet, several seconds passed as the pair gazed at each other. Slowly, Shadow unzipped and removed his vest, letting it fall to the ground behind him. Slipping the Chaos Emerald into its pouch, he slipped both leather sashes off, gently laying the Emerald and his handgun on his vest, rolling his shoulders as he stood back up. "Are you ready?"

Amy reached up and pulled her hairband from among her spines, shaking her head slightly as they lifted into their natural state. Laying the hairband on the ground beside her, she took up a fighting stance and smiled. "You betcha. Are you?"

Smirking faintly, Shadow smoothly moved into his own stance. "Always."

Together, they charged at each other, gloved hands curled into fists, boots and shoes drumming against the rock, faces set in determined expressions. A few seconds separated them, and Amy lunged for her hammer. Her hand closed on smoke and dust as a Chaos Spear exploded behind the weapon, throwing it into the air as Shadow's heel swung toward her head. Rolling to the side, she managed to get purchase on the rock and launched herself forward, her fist rising in an uppercut.

Shadow's smirk grew wider as he caught the incoming blow, simultaneously pushing it aside and spinning in the other direction, driving his elbow into her ribs. The gasp of pain and surprise was audible as she tumbled away, coming up kneeling as she held her side. Tapping his foot, Shadow nodded. "First hit."

Wincing at the pain of her bruised ribs, Amy grinned. "Next one is mine!" Her eyes flickered to behind him where her hammer had landed, and Shadow frowned. Taking the initiative, he shot forward, a burst of air from his hover skates adding to his acceleration. To his surprise, Amy didn't move, simply waiting with her legs tucked beneath her.

_Now!_ Amy jumped, split seconds before Shadow tackled her, twisting in the air like an acrobat to face the way she came, curling into a Spin Dash as she came down. She remained stationary for only a moment as her momentum was reversed, giving Shadow just enough time to turn around in surprise before she rocketed forward to smash into his chest.

Knocked backwards, Shadow rolled with the impact and came up kneeling, coughing for breath. _That was...impressive._ It had been a long time since he had been surprised like that. Standing, he gazed across at Amy, shielding his eyes as the rising sun flared from behind her.

Amy grinned triumphantly. "Told you the next one was mine."

Shadow looked at her for a long moment, rubbing the brief ache in his ribs. Abruptly, he closed his eyes and quietly smiled. "Hmm. So you did." His eyes flashed open, Chaos energy crackling in his palm. "Let's see if you can get the next one."

Instead, Amy turned and dashed in the opposite direction, her eyes fastened on her hammer. "Sure, just let me get something!"

She managed to get within a foot of the weapon before her feet were swept out from under her and she was thrown aside, barely managing to roll with the hit. When she looked up, Shadow was smirking at her as he kicked her hammer aside. "I don't think so."

And so they continued. Short, rapid exchanges of blows, an infrequent grapple and wrestle, Amy scoring some hits, Shadow scoring more. Occasionally, when she could snatch an opportunity, Amy would make a dash for her hammer, only to be tossed aside before she could get within reach. It was eternally frustrating, but Amy expected it. After all, it had always been clear from the beginning that no matter how good she got, Shadow still far outclassed her in ability. When it came to combat, he was almost **made** for it. He was stronger, faster, seldom needed sleep, had much greater stamina and endurance, and dedicated his life to becoming a better fighter in the aim of protecting the planet and its inhabitants.

_Yeah, whereas I have spent most of my life chasing a hopeless dream, haven't slept for hours, and am exhausted._ The grim thought rolled through her head as she was once again thrown to the ground. Still, she refused to give up, her aching muscles screaming in protest as she shakily got to her feet.

For his part, Shadow was greatly surprised. It wasn't because of Rose's sheer tenacity, he had had ample demonstration of that over the past five months. It wasn't because he had found someone else who could provide at least a little challenge for him, that had been the whole point of training her. No, what surprised Shadow was that he was **enjoying** himself.

The realization had come during one of their occasional fights during the chase, and he had been growing more and more certain of it since this final fight had started. He had fought and raced Sonic a few times, had once trained with Omega before the bulky robot had parted ways with the team to continue his hunt, and had destroyed countless numbers of the Doctor's robots. He had defeated Metal Sonic, his predecessor the Biolizard, even the monstrosity that he had been genetically created from, Black Doom. All those battles, and he had never once given a damn. They were a job, or otherwise something that he had felt that had had to do. And now? He was coming as close to chuckling as he had ever come.

_Perhaps it is because she is such a different opponent than I have had._ he wondered. _Dr. Robotnik's robots were, for the most part, soulless automatons. Omega is driven by his desire to prove himself as Doctor Robotnik's greatest machine. Sonic is a thrill-seeker who regards every battle as fun. Metal Sonic is as sadistic as he is cunning, and his hatred for his organic template overrules all else. The Biolizard had acted on instinct, and Black Doom had been little more than a petty, albeit powerful tyrant. Rose, on the other hand..._ Shadow studied her as she caught her breath. _Rose is something altogether different._

Panting, Amy returned Shadow's expressionless gaze with frustration. _I'm getting nowhere. How am I supposed to get my hammer back if I can't even get close?_ Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths, feeling her rabid heartbeat slow. _Okay, think Amy. What can you do? What can you do that would give you an advantage?_

A patter of footsteps alerted her, and her eyes snapped open. Dropping low, she swallowed as Shadow fist whistled over her head. Shooting her foot out in a low sweep, she gritted her teeth as he simply jumped, rolling aside and coming up running as a Chaos Spear slammed into the ground behind her. _Well, here goes nothing!_

Skidding into an abrupt 180, she winced as Shadow's fist impacted with her palm. The pair grappled, expressions grim as they pushed back and forth. Weeks of training had improved her strength in both arm and leg, matching every push and shove that Shadow made. Heads a scant foot apart, Amy gazed unflinchingly into his crimson eyes, defiantly matching the cold determination there with the jade steel in her own.

Despite their stalemate, however, Amy knew that it wouldn't last. Shadow could easily outlast her in a grapple, and with control of Chaos energy literally at his fingertips, holding him was not the safest thing she could do. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she changed tactics, tightening her grip on Shadow as she threw herself backwards. Drawing her legs up against her chest, she slammed her feet into Shadow's stomach as he fell on top of her.

The impact drove the breath from his lungs with an audible **whoosh**, and his grip slackened. Momentum kept him moving forward, and he was thrown clear, grunting as he struck the ground a few feet away.

Scrambling to her feet, Amy lunged for her hammer...


	13. Entwinement

_YEEEESSSSS!_

Amy nearly crowed in triumph as her hand closed around the smooth haft of her Piko hammer. Hefting the familiar bulky weapon, she was surprised by how much lighter it seemed. _Or maybe I've just gotten that much stronger._ Whirling around, she took a solid two-handed grip and charged for where she knew that Shadow would be lying...

"Chaos Punishment!"

Abruptly, the world seemed to glitch, like it had been slowed down and then thrown into fast-forward. Amy's hammer almost seemed to disappear from her hand, and her body exploded in pain as she was thrown backwards. Bouncing and rolling along the rock, she groaned. _Owwwwww, what the heck just happened?_ Rolling onto her front, she pushed herself up and raised her head.

Four feet away from her, red Chaos energy still shimmering around him from the Chaos Boost, Shadow knelt with his head down. Amy's Piko hammer was clutched in his hand, and his chest heaved slightly. Shaking his head, he stood up as the energy around him dissipated. His body ached from the energy he had expended, but he knew it would fade soon. Standing, he slowly walked up to Amy, and offered her the haft. "Here. You've earned it."

Groaning, she grabbed the hammer and got to her feet. "Wha...what was that? I feel like I got hit by a freight train."

Smiling slightly, Shadow turned and walked back to his jacket. "It's something I've been working on, called Chaos Punishment. It's similar to my Chaos Snap, however it also involves freezing time with Chaos Control, so that I can strike a greater number of targets, or get more hits on a single target." He grunted as he reached down and extracted the Chaos Emerald from its pouch.

Swallowing, Amy leaned on her hammer. "Seems pretty effective to me."

Rubbing his side as he winced, Shadow drew on the energies of the Chaos Emerald, encouraging his natural healing. "It's not perfected. Teleporting more than a short distance without an Emerald is difficult and draining for me. Even if I had been using an Emerald to supply the energy, having to concentrate on multiple jumps, while keeping time frozen, makes it difficult to make a proper strike." He gazed steadily at her. "If I had it perfected, and used it at full power, there is a very good chance that you would be dead right now."

Amy blinked. "Would you have, if you could?"

Shadow's face remained impassive. _No._ "What do you think?"

She smiled, though she felt like she was going to fall over. "No, I don't think you would have."

Shadow quietly grinned as he glanced down towards the pool. "You should rest. You've been running since midnight. Here." He extended his hand. "I'll take you down."

Her smile growing wider, Amy gratefully took his hand. "Thank you." She could feel herself blushing slightly, but she was far too tired and sore to think about it.

-

It was several hours later when Amy awoke, and the sun was high in the sky above her. Translucent pillars beamed through the canopy of trees, intertwining light and darkness.

Crawling out from her sleeping bag, Amy yawned and stretched. Looking around, she spied Shadow leaning against his tree, illuminated in sunlight as he gazed up at the sky. His face was as stoic as always, a carefully crafted mask designed to conceal any weakness.

Smoothing her rumpled dress, she walked over and settled down next to him. His eyes briefly flicked towards her, and he shifted over a little, giving space between them. She was a little disappointed, but she had long since figured out that Shadow was not one to enjoy close contact unless it was by his own choice.

"Hey. Mind if I join you?"

Shadow swallowed quietly, and nodded. He was well aware of how close Rose was, and that simple knowledge was enough to set his nerves on edge and his heart thumping. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mhmm." She nodded, then turned her gaze skyward. A long silence descended on the trees, broken only by a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves. "So, I was hoping we could talk."

Shadow tensed. He could guess what she had in mind. "You want to talk about what happened in your apartment."

Nodding, Amy looked at him cautiously. She wasn't sure how he was going to react, or even how this conversation was going to go. "Yeah. It's just, well, I'm not really sure where to

"Why did you do it?"

The bluntness of his words caught her off guard, but she wasn't too surprised. Shadow had never been one to dance around a subject. "I...I'm not really sure. I mean, I guess I just kind of got caught up in the moment."

"Did you mean it?"

Blinking at the abrupt change, Amy nervously clasped her hands. "You mean, what I had said before that?" He nodded, but kept his gaze fixed skyward. "Yes. I meant every word, Shadow. All of it." Both of them were quiet for a moment. "Did you?"

For the first time since she had sat down, Shadow turned his head and looked at her properly. She swallowed as he pinned her with an intense scowl. "I always say what I mean."

Amy's heart lurched in her chest, and her mouth ran dry. "Right."

Shadow looked away, then stood up and walked towards another tree, closing his eyes as he braced himself against it with one hand. A roiling tumult of emotions was raging through him, leaving him confused and frustrated.

Amy stood as she gazed worriedly at his back, taking a hesitant step forward. "Shadow? Please talk to me. I just...I want to understand as much as you do."

Silence thick enough to cut with a knife hovered between them. Finally, Shadow's shoulders sagged. "Very well."

When he turned around, Amy's body ran hot and cold, and she felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff. The razor intense gaze that he fixed her with made her freeze, like a cornered wild animal caught in the basilisk stare of a predator. She gulped as he studied her for a moment, then spoke.

"These last few months have been the most confusing of my life, even more than when I had lost my memory. At least then I could figure out how to fix the problem. Now I am faced with a problem that I do not know how to fix, nor can I figure out how." Taking a step forward, he pointed at her. "And that problem is you, Amy Rose. You confuse me more than anyone and anything that I have ever met, for I do not understand why I react to you the way that I do."

He sighed. "When we first met, I dismissed you as an oddity. It is still beyond me as to how you could mistake me for Sonic, but that is unimportant. It was not until we met again on the ARK that you took on any significance to me, when you helped me to remember the promise that I had made to Maria. Because of that, I made that same promise to you: To protect the people of this planet, and give them a chance to be happy." His voice was steady and tightly controlled, giving no hint to the roiling storm of emotions that raged inside.

Turning, he gazed off to the side. "From the Black Arms Invasion, to the infrequent times when our paths crossed, I acknowledged you as an ally. In many ways, you were and are similar to Maria. You care for others deeply, and never once hesitate to protect them. You always see the best of them, even me, when you had every reason to believe otherwise. And yet, you are also vastly different from her. Where Maria was kind and gentle, you are passionate and strong. Where Maria could do no harm, you will fight fiercely for what you care about." His heart thudded against his ribs, and he could feel that familiar feeling of warmth building in his chest. "And then that morning happened."

Amy swallowed, afraid to say anything. She watched as Shadow rotated the Inhibitor Ring around his wrist, unlocking it just enough to slide his glove off. She had never seen Shadow's hands exposed, and found that the red marking that began just above his elbow ended at his wrist.

Shadow studied the black fur on his palm for a moment. It was rare of him to speak at such length, and the raging storm of emotions that dominated his mind did little to help. Turning his attention back to Amy, he locked eyes with her, scarlet to jade, and took a step forward. "I meant what I said then, and I mean it now. When I am with you, I am constantly aware of where you are and what you are doing. When we are apart, you are burned into my memory, down to the smallest detail. When I see you, I am both agitated and calm. When I hear you, I am both happy and nervous. When you touch me, I feel as though some strange energy courses through me. All of this, because of you. I don't understand it, Rose. I understand anger, frustration, hatred, fear. I understand kindness. I understand strength. I do not understand what I feel now." His voice possessed a steely calm, almost icy in its tight control. It was the voice of one with a tight, yet tenuous control of themselves, as though he was stretched so thinly that he was ready to snap. And in truth, he was.

As he had been talking, Shadow had slowly been moving towards Amy, while she kept moving backwards, until her back spines bumped into the tree behind her. At last, they stood almost nose to nose, Amy clenching her hands nervously, Shadow unblinkingly watching her.

"And the part that confuses me the most, is when you kissed me, I enjoyed it. Since that morning, nothing has been on my mind but that moment, and there has been nothing that I have wanted more. I have thought long and hard about it, every day until now, and still I have no answers."

Amy didn't know what kept her so still, nor did she care. Her heart was crashing in her chest, her breathing short and shallow. Her attention was riveted on Shadow's words, and for some reason, she was scared of what he was going to say next. "What are you going to do?"

Shadow's pulse pounded in his ears, and the feeling of warmth was surging through his body. He felt an urgency that he had never known, a desire that demanded to be fulfilled. Slowly, he raised his uncovered hand and cupped her cheek, noting for the first time just how soft her fur was. She shivered slightly at his touch, but did not pull away. His head tilted slightly as he moved forward, instinct bring his eyes closed.

The instant their lips met, that same shock as before ran through him, obliterating conscious thought until only instinct remained. She met his touch with enthusiasm, her hands already against his sides underneath his vest. Everything was as he remembered from before, the soft warmth of her lips against his, the faint scent of her fur in his nose, the gentle yet urgent caress of her touch. He didn't think about whether or not he should be doing this, or whether or not it was a good idea. He simply did.

Amy's mind was floating somewhere, and she didn't really care where. Shadow's hand was warm against his cheek, his fur surprisingly soft. She could feel his other hand clasp her hip as he moved closer, pressing her up against the tree with his body. She could feel the firm bands of muscle beneath her hands, and she craved a closer touch. Reaching behind his back, she yanked her gloves off, a quiet moan escaping her as she slide her hands up between their bodies to entwine her arms around his neck.

Greater urgency filled them as instinct took over, and neither really noticed when Shadow's jacket fell to the earthen floor, nor when Amy's dress followed.


	14. Interlude

Sonic reclined on the roof of his home, frowning as he gazed up at the reddening sky. In the week since Cream's birthday party, and his argument with Amy, he had become increasingly antsy. And it wasn't just because Eggman still hadn't shown his face yet.

_I did the right thing, didn't I? Enough was enough, Amy needed to move on. I was honest with her, that should count for something._ He grimaced. _So why do I feel like a complete jerk now?_ It wasn't that he didn't care about her, he did. She was his friend, nothing would ever change that. _I hope._ So why couldn't she understand that?

_**Sure, you're always up for a fight, but when it comes to something actually difficult, like how someone feels about you, you just duck and run!**_

Sonic groaned and gritted his teeth as he recalled her words. _Yeah, I probably should have said something before now. She was my friend, I didn't want to hurt her. So yeah, I ran, shouldn't that have told her that I wasn't interested? How is it my fault that she was so completely blind?_

"Hey Soniiiiiic! Where are you!"

Raising his head at the sound of Tails' voice, he sighed. _I'm never gonna be able to understand girls. I'd prefer fighting Eggman over this trouble any day._ Standing, he hopped down to the balcony below and dashed inside, zipping down the stairs into the living room. "What's up Tails?"

The young mechanic spun around in surprise. "Oh, uh, Cream and her mother are here. Vanilla said something about wanting to talk to you?" He gestured nervously to the couches, where the two rabbits were seated. Cream smiled and waved at the speedy hedgehog as he grinned at her, Cheese mimicking her movement.

Vanilla, however, remained seated with her back to him, sipping at a cup of tea. With a soft smile, she closed her eyes. "Miles, the tea is lovely, dear. Cream, why don't you and Cheese go with Miles and see what he's working on in his workshop, while Sonic and I have our chat."

Cream's eyes lit up, and she happily jumped to her feet. "Sure! I'm sure that you have a lot of really neat things, Tails."

Bashfully rubbing the back of his head, Tails chuckled nervously as he lead her towards the door. "Well, sorta. Most of the time I'm maintaining and modifying the Tornado and the other vehicles, or improving the Emerald Tracker in my computer."

Grabbing his hand in an effort to urge him on, Cream failed to notice the faint shade of scarlet that appeared on his muzzle. "It's really neat that you take care of all the machines you guys have, Tails. Can I please see what kind of changes you've made?"

Vanilla briefly turned and raised her hand to her mouth as she called out to the pair. "Don't get your dress dirty, dear!"

"Yes Mother!"

Sonic chuckled as he watched them walk towards the hanger that his friend had claimed for his own, folding his arms. "Tails is crushing pretty hard on Cream. It's funny how nervous he gets."

Vanilla smiled as she watched them for a moment longer, then took another sip of her tea. "Miles is a good boy." She gestured at the opposite couch. "Have a seat, Sonic. Slow down a little for me."

Grinning, Sonic flopped down on the couch and laid his foot on his knee, the lower back of the couch fitting comfortably beneath the spines projecting from the back of his azure t-shirt. "Sure, what's up?"

Taking a moment to breath in the relaxing scent of her tea, the elder rabbit closed her eyes. "We need to talk about you and Amy."

The bemused expression on the hedgehog's face vanished, and his foot dropped to the floor. "Oh." The normally relaxed and cocky tone in his voice had vanished, leaving dead disappointment.

Vanilla glanced at him when she heard the disappointed tone in his voice. "Have you two spoken since Cream's birthday?"

Laying his head back and staring up at the ceiling, Sonic frowned. "No. I haven't even seen her. I'm pretty sure she's avoiding me." Rubbing his forehead, he sighed. "I just wish I knew why she can't get over it already. It's been five months."

A clink reached his ears, and he looked up. Vanilla took a deep breath, and smoothed some wrinkles in her violet dress. "Sonic, break-ups are not easy. Feelings are hurt, hearts are broken. It can take a long time for people to recover from." She leveled a heavy gaze at the cobalt hedgehog across from her. "The first one is especially hard, particularly in Amy's case, because she has been pursuing you for so long."

Sonic waved his hands upward, and returned his gaze to the ceiling. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But how is it my fault that she couldn't take a hint?"

"Did you give her any?"

Frowning, he sat up and braced his elbows on his knees. "What? Of course I did. What kinda question is that?"

Taking another sip of tea, Vanilla sighed. "From what I have seen and heard, five months ago was the first time that you definitively told Amy that you weren't interested. Before that, you weren't very straight-forward with her. I even heard that you agreed to go on a couple dates, not including when you finally rebuffed her. Now, dating may have changed since I was a young girl, but in my experience, agreeing to a date is not the way to tell someone that you are not interested in them."

Sighing in exasperation, Sonic rubbed his forehead. "I only agreed to those dates because I wanted her to stop pestering me about it, and I really didn't want her getting all mad and trying to smack me with that hammer of hers."

Vanilla leveled a steady gaze at him. "I find that hard to believe, dear. All those years of running and fighting Dr. Eggman, and you were worried about Amy and her hammer? I know that Amy can run almost as fast as you when she really wants to, but almost as fast is not the same as being as fast. And if you didn't want to go on the dates, why didn't you just tell her so? Why wait until now to tell her how you felt?"

Staring at her incredulously, Sonic could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Why are you trying to blame this on me? She's the one who couldn't figure out that I wasn't interested!" Heated anger made his voice sharp, the words nearly shouted across the short distance.

"Don't you get proud with me, young man." Vanilla's unusually stern tone of voice, combined with the sharp look that she gave him, stopped the younger hedgehog dead in his tracks. Taking a breath, she took another sip of tea to calm herself. "I am not here to blame anyone, though properly speaking, you are both at fault. Yes, Amy should have realized that you weren't interested, but you should also have been more direct and up-front with her before now."

Sighing, Sonic fell back into the couch, looking down at his shoes miserably. Silence passed over the pair for a long moment, and finally he spoke. "I just...I didn't want to hurt her. Yeah, I was tired of her chasing me all the time, but we've been through a lot together. She was still one of my friends, ya know?" His entire body sagged lower into the cushion, his normally buoyant energy and cocky persona vanished. "She still is."

Nodding approvingly, Vanilla set her tea cup down on the table in front of her. "I know, dear. I've known you for a long time, and I know that you have a heart as big as your speed. The problem sometimes, though, is that you have pride to match." Raising her finger, she cut off his protest. "Amy and I have spoken at length about this. She knows that you are both at fault, but it is harder for her to admit it, because it was her heart that was broken, not yours. Every time she sees you, all those hurt feelings will be brought up. You and Amy have been through far too much together to destroy your friendship now, but if you want to have any chance of repairing it, then you need to be the bigger person."

Sonic thought about her words. _I have to be the bigger person._ "How can I do that when Amy won't talk to me?"

Vanilla smiled kindly at him. "Amy needs to take her own time. Remember, she was hurt more than you. But I think that she is closer than you think."

Sonic gazed at her for a long moment. The more he thought about it, the more he knew that she was right. _Amy has stuck with me through a lot. I owe her at least this much. Besides, what kinda hero would I be if I end up being a jerk to my friends?_

Abruptly, he chuckled, and leaned back, interlocking his fingers behind his spines. "You know what's funny? Before he left Cream's party, Shadow called me an idiot. Guess he was right." A thought occurred to him, and he frowned in confusion. "What I don't get is, why he was there in the first place? I go all over the place, and I've only run into Shadow a couple times over the past two years. And all of a sudden, he shows up to Cream's birthday party with Amy, who's been gone for five months? Doesn't make sense."

Rising, Vanilla walked around the table and sat down beside the azure hedgehog, patting his knee comfortingly. "I wouldn't go so far as to call you that, dear. You just still have some growing up to do." She smiled kindly. "As for Shadow, he's played a bigger role in this than you think."

His frown deepening, Sonic looked at her in confusion. "Whaddya mean?"

Folding her hands demurely, Vanilla shook her head. "That is not my place to say, dear. You'll have to talk to Amy." Sighing, she looked out the window. "Well, it looks like it's getting late, Cream and I should be getting home. Would you and Miles mind walking us back?"

Sonic followed her gaze outside for a moment. Privately, he was dreading that conversation with Amy, but he knew that he had to do it. I just hope things aren't too screwed up already. Finally, he grinned and gave Vanilla a thumbs up. "Sure. No problem."


	15. Consequences

Miles away in the forest, Shadow lay tangled amongst a pile of clothing as he gazed up at the shattered remains of the half-shadowed moon. It had been a few hours since he had awoken, spent watching the thousands of stars above twinkle into sight. He hardly noticed the bumps and ridges of the ground and cloth beneath him, though in a small corner of his mind he knew that his back was going to be rather sore when he finally decided to move. Even so, that wasn't the reason why he had yet to do so.

No, the main reason was the little pink hedgegirl sleeping soundly on top of him, her forehead nuzzled against his neck, her hand wrapped delicately around his opposite shoulder. Her breathing was slow and even, gently ruffling the patch of fur on his chest. His own bare hand was curled around her lower back, his fingers slightly splayed along the curve of her spine, while his other cushioned his own head.

Shadow was having trouble describing just what he was feeling at that moment. The raging inferno that had immolated his heart just a few hours before had burned down to a warm nest of coals, and a pleasant exhaustion still gripped his body. Truthfully, he wouldn't have moved from where he was even if he had wanted to. Which, for reasons that still puzzled him, he most certainly didn't.

He felt Amy stir slightly against him, and he tensed, but she merely murmured unintelligible words and did her best to nuzzle closer to him. He smiled as he looked down at her peaceful face, a real, genuine smile, something that he hadn't really done since his days living on the ARK. No, no matter how troubled he was by this situation, there was no way in hell he was moving.

_Which still raises the question, how the hell did I get here in the first place?_ he wondered as he returned his gaze to the star-filled field above him. _How is she able to create these feelings in me? I've never felt like this, not even when I was with Maria._ His cheeks reddened as he thought about what they had done, but still he smiled. _I've never been so relaxed. I've never been so content. Can I even say...that I'm happy? No, more than that, if I'm being honest. But what can be more than that? _

A quiet moan wiped the smile from his face, and he looked down. Amy's eyes cracked open slightly, and a soft smile crossed her lips. Abruptly, her eyes snapped fully open, and she tensed. Slowly, her emerald gaze drifted upwards, until it met with Shadow's crimson one.

"Uh...hi." Her voice was quiet and shy, uncertainty written across her face.

"Hi." Shadow kept his voice low, already feeling the coals in his chest flaring.

Looking down, Amy swallowed nervously. "Are we..."

"Yes."

"So we..."

"Yes."

Her cheeks flushing a deep red, Amy looked off to the side. "Right...just, just making sure that I'm not dreaming."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "You've...dreamed about this?"

He nearly smiled again as Amy blushed even more furiously. "Uh, well...um...maybe?" Her voice was timid and embarrassed, like child caught doing something bad. Shadow simply found it endearing, though he wasn't sure just what to do to alleviate her concerns.

A whirlwind of emotions roiled in Amy's mind. On the one hand, she could hardly believe everything that had happened, even though the memory of it was clear and bright. She had never expected her first time to happen like it had, least of all with Shadow. It was like some animal had possessed her.

And yet...Lying there as she was with him, Amy had never felt so safe or happy. The one-armed embrace she was wrapped in was both strong, warm and gentle, like a secret hiding place promising safety. When she laid her head down, she could hear the steady thump of his heart, powerful and reassuring in its consistency. In his gaze, she could see the strength and determination that characterized him.

Lying there with him, Amy felt like all was right with the world, and she smiled.

When Shadow saw the peaceful and contented expression on her face, a regretful pang ran through his heart, coalescing into self-directed fury. _This...was not a good idea. Now she will think that we have a chance, when there is none. I shouldn't have done this, I shouldn't have lost control. Dammit, this is going to be bad._

A beeping sound made itself heard from somewhere beneath him, and with a regretful sigh he shifted to reach for the source. Amy pushed herself up into a kneeling position, and Shadow's muzzle reddened slightly he got a full look at her naked body. _Yes, this was a really bad idea._ He glanced aside and gulped as she embarrassingly crossed an arm over her chest, then grabbed his jacket from where it had slipped off of her. "Here."

Gratefully pulling the jacket on, Amy could feel her cheeks burning hotly. _Why am I embarrassed? I mean, I'm pretty sure we're way past that now._ She tried not to look, but couldn't help sneaking a peek as Shadow fiddled with his comm-unit. _He really is good looking. But still..._ "What is it?"

Frowning, Shadow read the message display. "It seems the President has made his decision. Team Dark is to report to G.U.N Headquarters immediately."

Amy paused at the name as she reached for her dress. "Team Dark? Isn't that you, Rouge and Omega?"

Nodding, Shadow grabbed his cargo pants and pulled them on, buckling his belt. "Yes, although Omega has been off on his own for some time, hunting down Dr. Robotnik's robots, while Rouge and I usually operate separately or together. General Tower must not be taking any chances if he is calling for all three of us."

Sliding her shoulder straps into place, Amy looked around for her headband. "Crap, I must have left it up on the cliff." she muttered. Two flashes of light caught her attention, and she looked in surprise to find Shadow standing beside her, her headband in his hand. "Oh! Thanks." Frowning, she passed him his jacket. "Is it because of that weird machine that attacked us?"

Shrugging the jacket into place, Shadow bent down and retrieved their gloves. Noticed a faint trace of Rose's scent on the leather, he felt his heart both quicken and calm. "Yes. It also easily blasted its way into G.U.N Headquarters a month and a half ago."

Amy stared at him in shock. She still remembered sneaking into Prison Island to break out Sonic, the day that she had first met Shadow. It hadn't been easy back then, and she could only imagine how much more fortified their Headquarters would be. "Was anybody hurt?" she asked as she accepted her gloves and ring bangles.

Shaking his head, Shadow took a breath as he loosened his Inhibitor Rings, relocking them over top of his gloves. Every time he did that, he could feel the brief pulse of Chaos Energy surge through him, a reminder of just how much power was at his disposal. "There were many injuries, it was not subtle in going after what it wanted. A few deaths, though all of those were from falling debris. I believe that we might be looking at another Gamma situation."

Frowning in confusion, Amy remembered way back before she had met Shadow, when Eggman had tried to use the water god Chaos in another one of his plans. _Gamma was from the same robot line as Omega. He helped us after he rebelled against Eggman._ "Why? What does this robot have to do with Gamma? Wait, how do you even know about Gamma?"

Turning his gaze skyward, Shadow studied the field of stars above him. "Omega told me about his brother, one of the reasons why he was locked up. I also studied Gamma's file after the Neo Metal incident." He grimaced as he remembered the mechanical monster that Metal Sonic had transformed himself into in a bid to usurp his creator and conquer the world. "Dr. Robotnik seems to have a talent at creating artificial intelligences, perhaps too good. Gamma, Omega, and Metal Sonic all gained self-awareness and independence from their programming, Metal Sonic on two separate occasions. Based on what I have seen, both in our fight and from video of the G.U.N attack, that this robot may be heading in the same direction as Gamma."

Thinking, Amy puzzled over his words, rubbing her shoulder in memory of her one-time kidnapper. "What makes you think that?"

"Because it hasn't killed anyone." Taking a breath, he turned and faced her. "In the two encounters I know of, Dr. Robotnik's newest weapon has always acted non-lethally. It could have easily taken us out from long range. Instead, it engaged us directly, and didn't even use any of the weapons that it must have had at its disposal. In the G.U.N attack, the few agents that attempted to engage it directly were incapacitated, not even suffering serious injury. If it was just an ordinary machine, it wouldn't bother taking such care." Shadow's expression grew somber, folding his arms over his chest as he spoke, his voice low. "However, there is one suspicion that I have that concerns me."

Taking a step forward, Amy hesitantly touched his arm. "What is it?" she asked, worry clearly evident.

Shadow searched her gaze for a moment. "I don't have much to prove it, but based on what I have seen, and what my instinct is telling me, I'm fairly certain that this machine is a robotic copy of me, in the same vein as Metal Sonic."

A chill ran through Amy's blood, and she swallowed. "You mean, like a Metal Shadow?" _One wasn't enough? He had to go make a second one?_

Nodding, Shadow turned and gazed towards the waterfall, his thoughts turning dire. "It is possible. This machine seems to have abilities beyond what Metal Sonic was capable of. Robotnik also knows that I am in possession of a Chaos Emerald, so it would make sense that he would design a robot specifically to defeat me. The android clones he had created years ago were nowhere near sufficient."

Amy looked at him in worry. She was well aware of the danger that Metal Sonic represented, especially given that since the second EX World Gran Prix, it had disappeared without a trace. She didn't want to think about what sort of danger two such robots could pose, especially if this new one could match Shadow. "That's...kind of scary."

Nodding, Shadow mulled over the thought. "We will see. If this robotic copy is heading the same direction as Gamma did, it could turn to our advantage. If I am mistaken, then nothing has changed. Either way, I have a mission to complete, and I will allow nothing to stop me." Sighing, he turned and offered his hand to Amy. "We should go back. I need to report in, and you could use some sleep."

Smiling, Amy gratefully slipped her hand into his, then stepped closer and wrapped her free arm around his back, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you." Closing her eyes, she sighed as she nuzzled her forehead into his neck, already dreading the moment when she would have to let go. _Why did I go and do this? How did I let this happen? He's Shadow, he can't...we can't..._

Shadow hesitated for a moment, then embraced her with his free arm, holding her slim body against his own. He knew that it wasn't a good idea, but with the memory of a few hours before still fresh in his mind, and the feeling of sheer peace and happiness that holding her brought him, he couldn't quite bring himself to care.

Fishing the Chaos Emerald out of its pouch, he closed his eyes and settled his cheek against Amy's spines. Focusing on the memory of her bedroom, he drew on the Emerald's energies and warped them through space.

Opening her eyes, Amy took in the sight of the pink sheets on her bed over Shadow's shoulder. For a long moment, they just stood there, holding each other. Amy didn't want to pull away, away from the safety and comfort that Shadow's embrace promised her, but she knew that she had to, and not just because he had to leave.

Finally, she felt his sigh in her ear, and she pulled away. His expression, for once readable, was one of sadness, almost a mirror image of her own. "I have to go."

Nodding, Amy stared at the floor. "I know." Her hand was still clasped in his, the sole remaining contact between them, and she desperately tried to memorize the feel of that contact. "I just...I just need to know, Shadow." Raising her eyes, she gazed at him with desperate hope. "Am I going to see you again?"

It was a loaded question, and they both knew it. In his mind, Shadow knew what she was really asking, and if he knew her like he thought he did, then she already knew the answer. He did as well, and like her, he wished more than anything that it was different. A faint shake of his head was all that it took to bring tears to her eyes. "I can't, Rose. You know why I can't. I will outlive you, and everyone else by many lifetimes. I shouldn't have lost control like I did."

Pain and despair flooded her heart, and Amy fought hard not to cry. She knew it was a losing battle, but she had grown too much to let herself break now. "I...I know. But...I'm not sorry that we did it. I'm...I'm...I'm glad it was you, Shadow."

Nodding, Shadow looked off to the side. Looking at her, at the pain he was causing her, was making this more difficult than he wanted it to be. "I...I'm glad as well, Rose. If it helps...I will not forget this. I will never forget this."

Sniffing, Amy nodded, managing a tear filled smile. "I won't either, Shadow." Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and turned him to face her. "Thank you." Taking a step forward, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently against his, trying to savour the feel and taste. An answering pressure made her heart flutter, and she slowly pulled away.

Shadow watched her sadly as she stepped back, then took a breath and fixed his face in a neutral expression. Closing his eyes to block out the sight of her, lest his resolve crack, he once again teleported away.

In the space behind him, Amy finally broke down and cried.


	16. Captive

Far up in the mountains, a steady _thwop-thwop_ sound vibrated through the air. If one were looking closely, and had spectacular vision in darkness, one might have been able to see the sleek black shape of the helicopter as it flew through the crisp early morning air. Built for speed and distance, the aircraft beat its way through the darkness.

Lounging in the main passenger area, trying to ignore the sound of the rotor through her ear-plugs, Rouge studied her partner as he sat across from her. Since take-off, his gaze had never left the ground below them, and he seemed strangely quiet, even for him.

Tapping at her elbow, she puzzled over him. Since his return to the G.U.N a few hours before, he had felt...off. _Something happened yesterday. Whatever it is, it's bugging him. And I'm willing to bet that it involves her. But what?_ Sighing, she laid her head in her hand. _You know, you can be the most frustrating person on the planet, Shadow._

Gazing out the window to the inked expanse of forest below, Shadow felt more and more miserable by the second. _It had to be done. We both knew that. It would only have brought us pain._ His eyes flicked from black shape to black shape, and he gave himself a mental shake as the memory of Rose's face flashed into his mind. _So why does it still bother me so?_ Grinding his teeth slightly in frustration, he pushed it aside and tried to focus on the mission.

-

_Nodding at General Tower, Shadow took his seat beside Rouge. He noticed that Omega wasn't present, but wasn't unduly concerned. Since the call had only gone out an hour before, the warbot might not even show up for several days, depending on where he was and what was between him and headquarters. _

_ Rouge glanced at him as he sat down. "Where were you today?" she asked dryly._

_ Fixing his gaze on the blank screen before him, Shadow strove to keep his face neutral. With his departure only a few minutes previous, the turmoil of emotions inside him was still proving very hard to control. "Out."_

_ Blinking at the curt answer, Rouge gave him a curious look, then returned her attention to Tower. "Well. This should be interesting to hear at least."_

_ Striding in front of the assembled pair, General Tower nodded at each of them. "I apologize for the late hour, but I'm afraid this mission cannot wait. The President has decided. With the emergence of Dr. Eggman's new robot, and its clearly advanced capabilities, the doctor has once again emerged as a clear danger to the United Federation. What worries the President most, and myself as well, is the fact that this has been the only overt action that Eggman has taken in many months."_

_ Rouge smiled as she shifted her wings into a more comfortable position. "The distinct lack of anything usually is an indication of something? The intelligence boys must be working overtime."_

_ The general nodded. "As it were. Ever since the attack almost two month ago, we have been dedicating resources to locating the remaining six Chaos Emeralds." He gestured at Shadow. "Efforts that we have redoubled since Eggman attempted to take the one already in our position."_

_ Shadow crossed his arms, his fingers tapping at elbow. "How many more have been found?"_

_ General Towers frowned slightly, noting the hedgehog's more curt than normal response. "None. Every time we think we've located one of the Emerald's, it's turned out be a dead end, save for the last one. We got a secure lock on its energy signature, but it vanished while a field team was on route to verify. Evidently Dr. Eggman has been searching for them as well, with more success than us."_

_ Shadow scowled briefly. "So, the only Emerald we have is this one." Pulling the glittering green gem from its pouch, he gazed at the gem, momentarily distracted by its close resemblance to Rose's eyes. He pushed away the thought._

_ Tower noted the strange expression that flashed across the hedgehog's face as he studied the gem. "No. We have managed to locate one more gem, but given how quickly the others have disappeared, we must assume that Eggman knows where it is as well, and will be moving to acquire it. We cannot let this happen. Which is why I have assigned this mission to Team Dark." The screen flickered on behind him, revealing a digital satellite image of a mountainous area. "We've tracked the Emerald's energy signature to an ancient temple complex up here in the mountains. It appears to have been built within a crater in a small valley, so you will be taking a helicopter there. Unfortunately, the energy signature is faint, so the Emerald must be somewhere inside. Your mission is to secure the Emerald and bring it back here. If any of Eggman's forces are there, destroy them if you can, but your first objective MUST be the Emerald. We cannot allow it to fall into Dr. Eggman's hands." His expression grew more grim. "Ordinarily, I would prefer to assign your full team to this mission, but unfortunately, circumstances have dictated otherwise. E-123 Omega will be joining up with you on your return. Any questions?"_

_ Rouge lazily raised her hand. "Eggman's new toy broke this place wide open the last time it paid a visit, and he hasn't had much difficulty breaking into G.U.N strongholds in the past. Just where are we going to keep this Chaos Emerald once we bring it back?"_

_ General Tower eyed her. "As I recall, he had a great deal of help from the pair of you in the past." His expression became somewhat amused when Rouge dismissed the comment with a wave. "At any rate, the Emerald's location will be kept between the President and myself."_

_ Shadow studied the map image before him, the Chaos Emerald floating above his palm. Both the General and Rouge had noticed him being unusually tense and quiet, something that was starting to unnerve them. Finally, he rose and approached the map. "Have we discovered anything new about the doctor's new robot?"_

_ Tower shook his head. "No. We're fairly certain that it has something to do with that other file you brought back from Eggman's old base, Project Mecha, but it seems that the doctor has taken extra steps to keep this one locked down. The techs are working on it, but with all the hidden viruses that have been included as part of the encryption, it has proven...difficult. Or so I'm told. I understand that there is a chance that Eggman may send this new weapon of his after the Emerald, but we're going to have to risk it."_

_ Shadow nodded, and slipped the Chaos Emerald back into its pouch. "Then I'll be keeping this with me. The more advantages we have, the better. When are we leaving?"_

_ The general looked at his watch. "The helicopter is departing in five minutes. The rendezvous point is a clearing approximately a mile south-west of the valley, but you'll be air-dropped as close as we can get you. Move as fast as you can, and radio in when you've acquired the Emerald. I don't think I need to tell you how important this is." Raising his hand, he saluted the pair. "Good luck, Team Dark. You'll need it."_

_ Raising an eyebrow as Shadow left without another word, Tower frowned at his best agent. Normally, the hedgehog dismissed such sentiments. "Agent Rouge, is there a problem? I need Shadow to be at his best."_

_ Rouge studied her partner's departing back. This was getting more and more puzzling. "You worry too much, General. This is Shadow we're talking about. We'll get the job done."_

-

"Two minutes to drop zone! You two better get ready. We're on a tight schedule, and between us, I'd rather not be here any longer than I have to tonight. Specially if somma Eggman's bots show up."

Rouge rolled her eyes and glanced at the grey wolf in the cockpit. "You boys just make sure this bird is still warm when we get out of here. We'll handle the rest. Besides, what makes you think Eggman's sending anybody?"

The wolf chuckled with his human copilot, then turned his attention back to the night vision screen in front of him. "You're Team Dark. When you're involved, it's ALWAYS about Eggman."

Ignoring the banter, Shadow forced aside his previous thoughts as he started checking his Darkness skates. _Enough. I have a job to do. I can't let anything distract me._ Catching his partner's eye, he nodded as he stood up and grabbed the door. "Just make sure you're on time. We'll radio when we're on our way." Yanking the door open, he watched as the copter's spotlight illuminated a small clearing below, the down-draft of the rotor ruffling his spines. "Ready?"

Stepping up beside him, Rouge looked at him with concern. "Ready when you are."

Glancing back at the pair, the pilot frowned. "Gonna get a chute pal? You jump now, you'll break your legs."

Shadow studied the distant ground below, then closed his eyes. The blue light of Chaos Control enveloped him, and he vanished, reappearing safely below.

Rouge grinned coyly at the dumbfounded pilot. "You've never flown with us before, have you." Blowing a kiss at him, she turned and fell backwards out the door.

The wolf stared at the empty door for a moment, then shook his head. "Don't they have a robot on their team as well? It's gotta be the most sane one of that bunch."

His copilot shook his head as he loaded the rendezvous point into the nav-computer. "Nah. He's worse."

Falling through the darkness, Rouge spread her wings wide, whipping about into a wide circle to bleed off speed. As the helicopter moved off, she glanced to where Shadow waited for her below, losing him in the darkness as the spotlight switched off. Checking that her comm-unit was tuned to the right frequency, she waved down at him and soared in the direction of the temple.

Watching her disappear over the trees, Shadow turned and sped after her up the mountainside, lighting his path with orbs of green Chaos energy surrounding his hands. The air was cold and sharp, biting through his jacket and fur. Ignoring the discomfort, he tried to focus on the mission at hand, but thoughts of earlier that day kept intruding on his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the look of passion and desire on Rose's face. He could still catch the faint whiff of her scent on his jacket, and his hands could almost feel the softness of her fur. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to greater speed.

High above, Rouge frowned in concern. The glow from his hands allowed her to barely keep track of him through the trees, and she was having to push herself just to keep up. _What are you running from? What happened today, Shadow?_

-

It didn't take very long for them to reach the temple. The ground began to flatten, then curve down into the forested crater, and Shadow began to slow down as the trees thinned out. Slipping down through a break in the needles, Rouge drifted between the trees before landing beside him as he stopped at the edge of the tree line. "Looks like this is it. Wonder who built this place?"

The stone edifice before them was rather impressive looking. Towering nearly a hundred feet overhead, the structure looked as foreboding as it was ancient. Massive open windows whistled faintly as the wind passed through them, and a yawning entrance disappeared into darkness.

Gazing up at the boxy peak of the temple's central tower through the trees, Shadow grunted impassively. "Whoever they are, they are long dead."

Rouge huffed in irritation as he walked towards the temple. "Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Passing through the yawning entranceway, several long minutes passed in silence as the pair made their way down the winding corridor. Each footstep they made echoed slightly in the darkness, and Rouge rubbed her forehead as a small headache developed. Finally, she could stand the silence no more. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on, or am I going to have to pry?"

Shadow paused, grimacing slightly before resuming his neutral scowl. "There is nothing going on. And if there was, it would be none of your concern, Rouge." Studying the wall beside him, he brushed his hand along the stonework. _Something feels...off. Surely Dr. Robotnik would have sent __**something**__ here already._

Rolling her eyes at his back, Rouge folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, come on Shadow. You've been acting strange ever since you got back to headquarters. I know you well enough to know **something** is up with you. And if I had to guess, I would bet that it involves Amy."

Abruptly, Shadow froze ahead of her, and she smiled. "I'm right, aren't I." Walking around in front of him, she placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him in genuine concern. "Look, I get that you are a private person, alright? But I'm your partner, we're supposed to trust each other." She rolled her eyes when Shadow looked at her with a disbelieving expression. "Yes, I know that's a load of crap coming from me. I know what I do when I'm not with the G.U.N, but that's not the point. The point is, if you don't open up to me, I can't do a whole lot to help you. So come on, let me in. What happened between you two?"

Shadow was well aware of the irony of her words. _Rose said the same thing, and now look at where I am._ Turning aside, he closed his eyes and braced himself against the wall, sighing. Finally, he spoke.

"I went too far."

Rouge blinked. _Whoa. I hadn't actually expected that to work. She must have done a real number on him._ "What do you mean, you went too far? Too far where?"

Bowing his head, he pressed his spines against the cool rock. "You recall the morning that I returned?"

Frowning, Rouge nodded uncertainly. "Yeeeaaah, I remember. I had tracked your comm-unit to Amy's apartment, and I found you two..." her eyes widened. "...oh..." she said in a quiet voice, her hand coming up to her mouth in surprise. "Oh...Shadow..."

The obsidian hedgehog's clenched his eyes, trying to suppress the rising tide of emotions and keep his voice even. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it, I shouldn't have lost control. It would never work, we both knew it would never work. I just..." His hands curled into fists. "...I didn't care at that moment. I just...I wanted her. I couldn't help it. I wanted her so badly...and I knew that she wanted me. She practically said as much. Do you know what that is like, Rouge? Do you know what it is like to want someone so much, that you can't even..." he gritted his teeth as images of the day before flashed through his mind. "I shouldn't have done it."

Rouge approached him cautiously, and gently touched his arm. "Hey, it's okay, Shadow. I know this is a big thing for you, but...that doesn't mean it was a mistake? I mean, I know she cares about you, and if you care about her..."

Shadow glared at the wall in front of him, his voice a low growl. "It doesn't matter whether I care about her, or if she cares about me. It can't work." Pushing away from the wall, he continued down the corridor. "I can't have her. That's why it was a mistake. It only causes both of us pain."

Frowning in irritation and confusion, she hurried after him. "Hey, don't be like that! I'm just trying to help! I get that it would be hard, but that's no reason to..."

Rounding a corner, he grimaced. "That doesn't concern me, Rouge. It can't work. Think about what you know of me."

Rouge huffed in annoyance. _You are so stubborn, aren't you. You and Blue Boy are more alike than you want to admit._ "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform. Big deal. What difference does that mammmph!"

Shadow clamped his hand over her mouth, his gaze narrowing as he looked towards the open doorway ahead. Slowly, he placed a finger against his mouth. "Shh." Rouge's eyes flicked between him and the doorway, and she slowly pulled his hand away from her mouth. "So, it's up ahead is it?" she whispered.

Nodding, Shadow frowned as he slipped his hand into his jacket, his fingers closing over the Chaos Emerald in his pouch. Faint pulses of energy flowed through his palm, and he knew that if he pulled it out, it would be shimmering brightly. "Yes. I can sense its power, and my Emerald is responding to its presence." His eyes flickered around the corridor. "But something doesn't feel right. The doctor moved very quickly to secure the other Emeralds."

Catching his line of thought, Rouge nodded. "So why haven't we seen anything here. Maybe we just managed to get here first for once."

Unconvinced, Shadow pulled his handgun from its holster and checked the safety and ammo clip. "Or not."

Stepping through the doorway, both G.U.N agents gazed around the empty chamber. Massive stone pillars supported the vaulted ceiling high above, and numerous stairways tiered the room into many levels. On a pedestal at the highest tier, a single grey Chaos Emerald hovered in the air.

Immediately, Rouge's eyes grew wide with joy. "Well, hel-lo gorgeous. Flawless as always." Clasping her hands, she stretched her wings wide. "Momma's here, baby."

Shadow gripped her shoulder, well aware of his partner's preoccupation with pretty rocks. "Cool it, Rouge." Ignoring the irritated glare that she sent his way, he took a step forward. "There's something wrong here." Glancing at his comm-unit, he grimaced as he noted a lack of a signal.

Crossing her arms, Rouge leveled a hooded gaze at the back of the hedgehog's head. "Yeah, you said that already."

Shaking his head, Shadow's eyes probed the chamber. "No. What I'm sensing doesn't match up with what I'm seeing. There's _too much_ power here."

Frowning, Rouge slipped a bomb from her belt. "What do you mean?"

Chaos energy collected in the ebony hedgehog's hand. "I mean, we're not alone in here." Taking a step forward, Shadow hurled a Chaos Spear at the Emerald, ignoring his partner's gasp of surprise and protest.

An orb of light, three feet in diameter, flashed around the Emerald, the Chaos Spear exploding against its mirror-smooth surface. As the sphere faded, mocking laughter echoed around the chamber.

"Ho ho ho! How right you are, Shadow. A pleasure that you and Rouge could make it." A flickering image of light appeared beside the grey Emerald, taking the shape of Dr. Eggman. "I must say, I was expecting you to be here sooner. Perhaps the G.U.N's resources are not as impressive as I had thought." Rubbing his chin, the corpulent mad scientist grinned. "Then again, I suppose they wouldn't be, after that little, shall we say, set-back that you suffered a couple months ago. Have they gotten their database back up yet?"

Cocking his gun, Shadow scowled at the hologram as Rouge stepped up behind him, bomb in hand. "Get to the point, Doctor."

Grimacing distastefully, Eggman folded his arms. "Oh, very well. Never did care for small talk, did you. As you correctly assumed, I have been waiting for you." A wicked grin crossed his face. "We have been waiting for you."

The air around the grey Chaos Emerald shimmered, then solidified. A dark metallic shape formed, approximately the same dimensions as Shadow himself. The machine's features remained shrouded in darkness, save for a triangular panel in which the Chaos Emerald was contained. "**Energy signature analyzed and locked. Target acquired.**"

Rouge shivered. Aside from a very obvious artificial quality, the machine's voice was disturbingly close to Shadow's own.

Shadow's grim scowl grew more pronounced, his teeth bared in a slight snarl. "Metal Shadow I presume?"

"**Incorrect. Metal series discontinued. Deemed unreliable, flawed.**" The machine clenched one nearly invisible fist and brought it to its opposite shoulder. "**Unit designation EM-00, Mecha Shadow.**"

Eggman gave the robot a miffed glance. "It seems I still need to adjust your behavioral programming." Smiling evilly, he returned his gaze to the pair of G.U.N. agents. "Yes, this is Mecha Shadow. After the...repeated, failures of Metal Sonic, I decided to restart from the ground up. Go in a new direction, as it were. As I recall, you two have already met, Shadow."

Shadow growled. "So, this was a trap. How many Chaos Emeralds do you have?"

Eggman's face twisted into a pleased expression. "Ho ho ho! Why don't you see for yourself?" Raising his hand, an image of the yellow Chaos Emerald appeared above his palm. Panels on Mecha Shadow's arms and legs turned translucent, revealing the red, purple, cyan, and blue Emeralds. "And now, for the final components to my plan. Mecha, if you please."

Shadow frowned for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise. Abruptly, he spun around and slammed his foot into Rouge's chest. The impact, aided by a burst of compressed air from his Darkness skate, catapulted her backwards through the doorway behind her. "Awoof!"

Up on the pedestal, Mecha Shadow extended one hand, and an iridescent red energy field enveloped the room, cutting off access. Eggman's hologram flickered rapidly, and abruptly vanished.

Groaning, Rouge pushed herself up to one knee, one hand pressed against her aching ribs. Looking up, she gasped as she saw the energy field. "Shadow!"

Shadow glared at Mecha Shadow, noting the absence of the doctor's image. "Get out of here, Rouge."

Tentatively placing her hand against the energy field, she flinched backwards as it nearly burned through her glove. "Ow! Oh, no you don't. I'm not leaving you behind."

Shadow gritted his teeth. "Rouge, get out! Now!" He turned and glared at her. "You have to get out and warn them. Eggman is likely blocking our comms from reaching headquarters, probably using Mecha as the generator for the jamming signal." Turning back towards the still motionless robot, he grimaced and leveled his handgun at it. "I'll buy you some time. Besides, with five of the Emeralds here, we cannot let this opportunity escape us. I've fought Mecha before. He will not be a problem."

Rouge's angry gaze switched between Shadow and the robotic copy, then she sighed in defeat. "Fine. But you'd better make this quick."

Hedgehog and robot gazed at each other for a long moment. "I would think that the doctor would want to see this fight." Shadow commented in a measured voice.

Mecha Shadow's red eyes flickered, as though blinking. "**Containment field disrupts signal. Energy expenditure deemed unnecessary.**"

Lowering his gun, Shadow extended a hand. "You do not have to do this, Mecha. You don't have to serve the Doctor."

Mecha Shadow was silent for a moment. "**Analyzing.**" Its eyes flickered again. "**Proposal impossible. Primary directive: Obey Eggman.**"

Shaking his head, Shadow took a step forward. "It's not impossible! Look in your data files. Gamma, Omega, even Metal Sonic. They were all programmed to obey Dr. Robotnik, but they all were able to overcome their programming. You can as well. I know you have the capability, otherwise, you wouldn't have let Rose or myself live the last time we fought."

Again, Mecha Shadow was silent. "**Analyzing.**" Finally, it swiped its hand through the air. "**E-100 series and Metal series discontinued. They were flawed, corrupted. This unit's primary directive: Obey Eggman.**" It extended its hand. "**Alternative proposal. Surrender.**"

Shadow glared at the construct. "If Dr. Robotnik built you to defeat me, then you already know the answer to that. I will never surrender to him, nor will I surrender the Emerald. I would rather die than betray my promise."

Mecha Shadow nodded. "**Answer unfortunate, but expected.**" The robot's voice seemed to take on an odd quality, almost sounding like regret, and its eyes briefly changed to a gentle silvery colour. "**You will wish you had died.**"

-

Meanwhile

-

Rouge rushed through the stone corridor, taking care not to scrap her wingtips against the walls while pumping them as hard as she could. She didn't remember the corridor being this long, but then, she hadn't really been paying attention.

Gunfire and explosions echoed down from behind her, making her wince as they rang in her ears. "Hang on, Shadow. Once I've let command know what's going on, I'm coming back in." she muttered.

Finally, she caught sight of the dim light coming from the entrance. Gritting her teeth, she blasted out of the corridor and soared up into the sky, stretching her wings to their full extent in an effort to catch any updraft she could. Checking her comm, she grimaced in frustration. "Come on, come on. Calling Dark Flight, this Agent Rouge calling Dark Flight. Come on, answer me dammit!"

"...krchglglight, we read you. I repeat, this is Dark Flight, we read you Agent Rouge. You got the package?"

Pumping her wings, Rouge glared down at the temple far below her. "Negative. Patch me through to General Tower, immediately."

"Uh, we're not supposed to call him until

"**PATCH ME THROUGH!**"

"Yeesh. You got it. Just gimme a moment."

Tapping her fingers on her arm, Rouge simmered impatiently as she flew a long circle. Finally, the General's gravelly voice came through her comm-unit's tiny speaker.

"Agent Rouge, give me some good news. Do you have the Emerald?"

"Negative. This mission was a set-up. Eggman has all the other Emeralds, and now he's trying to get the last one." Glaring down at the temple, Rouge anxiously hoped that Shadow was alright.

"Where is Agent Shadow?"

"He's keeping Mecha Shadow occupied, but I don't know for how long."

"Mecha Shadow?" The general's voice was puzzled.

Sighing impatiently, Rouge rolled her eyes. "The robot that hit headquarters a month and a half ago! The same robot that nearly beat Shadow a week ago! It's a robotic copy of Shadow, and it's being powered by five Chaos Emeralds."

"Five! And he's still fighting it?"

"Yeah, but I don't know how long he'll be able to

**BA-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

Red light flared from below, and Rouge gasped. Pillars of light erupted from the open windows and doorways, and the entire temple practically exploded in a massive orb of red light. The blast nearly encompassed the entire temple, and as the light faded away, the broken remains collapsed inwards.

Staring down in shock, Rouge nearly fell out of the sky before managing to get a grip on herself. "Shadow..." she whispered, a hollow feeling of pain and worry filling her chest.

-

Shadow gasped in pain, crimson blood leaking from his mouth, as he laid crumpled in a pile of rubble. His entire body felt as though someone had laid numerous hot irons across him, his right shoulder felt distinctly out of place, and he suspected that more than a couple of his ribs were broken. More blood was leaking from a gash along his left forearm, almost opposite of the thin red marking in his fur, as well as from a shallow cut across his forehead, blinding him in one eye. Not that the darkness and the choking dust made it any easier to see.

The sound of metal against shifting rock made his ears twitch, and a pair of dim red lights seemed to gaze at him out of the darkness. He tried to push himself up from the broken shards of rock that practically cradled him, but the sharp spike of pain through his ribs and arm immediately killed the idea, causing him to grimace, barely managing to suppress another gasp.

The lights grew closer, and Mecha Shadow gazed down at its fallen opponent. Various gashes had rent its metallic skin open, and oil leaked from at least two such wounds. One of its spines was broken off, and sparks of electricity twinkled in and out of existence through the various holes in its skin.

Gritting his teeth, Shadow glared up at the robot, clutching at his dislocated shoulder. _Damn...not...enough._ Closing his eyes as he coughed, he tried force back the faint tears that collected in the corners of his eyes. _I'm...sorry, Rose. I...failed. _

A dim red light bathed him, projected from Mecha Shadow's eyes. Opening his eyes, Shadow glared up at the machine. "Well? What are you waiting for? You won, so just kill me already. Isn't that what Eggman wants?" Each breath was a painful effort, spitting out the doctor's nickname even more so, but Shadow was unrepentant. If he was to die, he would not do so willingly.

"**Incorrect.**" Mecha Shadow's eyes abruptly changed to a soft silver again, and it lowered itself down onto one knee. "**I warned you, and for this, I am sorry.**" As its eyes changing back to their menacing red, it reached out a clawed hand towards Shadow's neck as a short thin needle extended from its palm.


	17. Breaking Down

Sighing glumly, Amy stared at the TV screen across from her. She hadn't cried as long as she had before, but now she had a hollow, empty feeling in her, like someone had sucked out all her energy. She had finally motivated herself to come over to Cream's, but even that had seemed like an effort.

Vanilla watched her worriedly from the kitchen, idly stirring a pot of soup as Gemerl cut up some vegetables behind her. _Oh you poor dear. I wish you would tell me what happened._ When Amy had arrived a few hours before, she could hardly believe it was her. Instead of her pink and white dress, she wore a rumpled pink t-shirt and white sweatpants. Her spines were mussed up, her headband was missing, and she bore a sad, weary expression. Even her smiles seemed sad. It was just so completely unlike her, that Vanilla instantly knew that something was wrong.

"Amy? Are you sure you're okay?"

Blinking, Amy turned and looked at her best friend. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine Cream. Really." Despite her words, her voice was rather lackluster, almost dull.

Unconvinced, Cream grabbed her hand, her eyes large with a worried expression. "It doesn't seem like it, Amy. You look really sad." Hovering near near her opposite shoulder, his Chao ball morphed into a question mark, Cheese gazed at her sadly. "Chao." he said sadly.

Frowning, Vanilla gave her pot one last stir. "Gemerl, would you mind watching this for me?" The gray robot nodded as he set his knife aside. "**Of course Vanilla.**" Walking into the living room, Vanilla folded her arms across her chest. "Cream, would you mind if I borrowed Amy for a moment?"

Turning to look at the older rabbit, both girls were surprised by the stern expression on her face. "Uh, sure." Amy said uncertainly, following Vanilla as she walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

Turning as she sat down on the bed, Vanilla gave her a stern and disapproving look. "I don't appreciate it when people lie to my daughter, Amy Rose. I expect better than that from you."

Startled by the accusation, Amy's mouth gaped open as she stood in the doorway. "Wha...I'm not lying to..."

Vanilla's face became uncharacteristically hard. "And I don't appreciate being lied to myself, either." Her expression softening, she patted at the spot beside her on the amethyst bedcover. "Amy, I've known you for a long time, so I can tell when something is wrong. Please, just talk to me."

For a moment, Amy hesitated. Finally, she sighed and sat down, her head hanging low. "I...I did something really stupid." To her, her body grew heavy as the edges of sadness began to creep through her. "I shouldn't have done it, but...I just...couldn't help it."

Frowning in confusion, Vanilla gently placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "What happened Amy?"

Tiny beads of tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and her hands clenched into fists overtop of her knees. "I think..." her voice trembled slightly, "I think...I fell in love with Shadow."

Vanilla blinked in surprise. Of all the things that Amy could have said, that was one of the last things she would have expected. Looking back on the last few days, though, Vanilla wondered if it was really that surprising. "Oh...tell me about it sweetie."

Sniffing back her tears, Amy fixed her gaze on the blue-painted wall across from her. "It's the only thing I can think of. For what I've been feeling, what I've said to him...I don't know, it just..." she shrugged helplessly. "Happened." A faint, soft smile wisped across her lips, and her eyes took on a faraway look. "I mean, it isn't like I **planned** on it, after what had happened with..." she sighed deeply, a welling tide of frustration rising within her, "...Sonic. Least of all with Shadow. I mean, he's Shadow. It's just...it's not something you expect to happen with him. But..." she fell silent for a moment, rubbing her arm as she tried to sort out the whirlwind of emotions that spun within her. "...I guess I should have figured it out...when I kissed him."

Taken aback by her words, Vanilla's eyes widened in astonishment. "Oh, Amy."

Rubbing her eyes clear with the back of her gloved hand, Amy smiled slightly. "Nothing more than that happened...that time. Rouge kind of, interrupted us. She had been looking for him, for the G.U.N. He works there you know." Sighing, she balanced her head in her hands. "And then yesterday happened."

Frowning in concern, Vanilla slipped a comforting arm around the girl's shoulder. "It's okay, Amy. Just tell me what

"We made love."

The bluntness, the unexpectedness of her words caused Vanilla to come up short. "...oh."

Amy smiled sheepishly. "It sounds kinda corny, I know. But that's the only way I can describe it. It was...amazing." Again, her eyes took on a faraway look, and her face become softer and contemplative, despite the faint rosy hue that coloured her cheeks. "He was just so...it was like he had finally let go. Like, I was seeing a glimpse of what he was like before everything happened to him. He was...sweet. Gentle even. But at the same time, he was so...strong. He made me feel so...special. For the first time in my life, I felt wanted. I felt...loved." Faint tears glittered in her eyes again. "But now..." Violently brushing her tears aside, she sniffed again. "It was stupid."

Sighing deeply, Vanilla gently squeezed her shoulder, drawing her closer into a comforting embrace. "Oh, Amy, no. No, it's not stupid to feel like that."

Sniffing, Amy smiled at her. "Thanks, Vanilla. But we still shouldn't have done it. It wouldn't work. There's..." Biting her lip nervously, Amy wondered for a moment if she should say it. She knew that Shadow was a private person, and didn't appreciate having his secrets revealed. "...there's some things he told me that make it impossible."

Smiling, Vanilla laid Amy's head down on her shoulder. "Amy, I don't know what to tell you. What you do from here is entirely up to you." Placing a motherly kiss on the girl's head, Vanilla gazed across at a small picture on her dresser. A dark brown rabbit smiled out of the frame, a tiny, wide-eyed infant wrapped in a pink blanket held in his arms. "I just don't want you to

"MOTHER! AMY! COME QUICK, YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!"

Startled by Cream's frantic shout, both women stood and hurried from the room. "Cream? What is it?" Vanilla asked in a concerned voice.

Curled up on the couch, Cheese clutched against her chest, Cream pointed at the TV across from her. The screen had turned a bright red, save for the yellow stylized image of a very familiar face. Amy swallowed, and deep-rooted feeling of dread coiled in her stomach. _What now?_ she wondered.

The screen flickered, and switched to an image of a small red and black robot, shaped like an orb, seated behind a desk with a sheaf of papers in its small hands. "**Greetings, this is Orbot. We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this very important live message from Dr. Eggman, your soon to be glorious leader. Please pay close attention.**"

Again, the image on the screen changed. Smiling affably from his large swivel chair, Dr. Eggman steepled his fingers. "Greetings. This message is for the pitiful leaders of this planet and, of course, that meddlesome pincushion. Today is a very special day, as I'm sure you all are about to become aware. Today, I shall unveil my latest, grandest, and in my opinion, most successful plan to date. Hoo hoo hoo hoo!" The corpulent scientist's smile shifted into a wicked grin. "To begin, allow me to introduce one of my two newest weapons for your cowering pleasure. Cubot, if you will do the honors."

This time, the TV changed to a view of the ocean. Initially, the view seemed calm, almost picturesque, the bright blue water barely rippled by the wind. Then the water seemed to boil and froth, and a dark shape broke the surface. The camera zoomed out as more of the object rose from the water, revealing itself to be an egg-shaped aircraft of colossal size. The metallic red surface gleamed wetly in the sunlight, with a yellow stylized image of the Doctor's face emblazoned on the side. Perched atop the massive battleship was a flat, ovoid projection. All across the surface of the aircraft, square panels slid open, and rotund cannon turrets slid out of the empty spaces, leaving the ship literally bristling with weaponry.

* * *

A few miles away, Sonic grimaced as he stared at the TV screen with Tails. "Seriously Eggman? Hiding your fancy new toy in the ocean? That's low."

* * *

Vanilla sat down beside Cream and held her daughter fearfully as Dr. Eggman's voice boomed proudly from the speakers. "Behold, the Egg Carrier Mark 3!" The TV image switched back to the Doctor, who was grinning in delight. "Magnificent, isn't it? I think so too. Now, before anybody decides to get rash and do something silly, like fire off a few missiles," he paused for a moment, leveling a patronizing gaze at the screen, "I should inform you of just a few of the Egg Carrier's features. For example..." he pressed a button on the console built into the arm of his chair, "the energy shield."

The screen changed to a dual screen, one half of the Doctor, the other the external view of the Egg Carrier, which was now surrounded by a translucent sphere of energy. "The shield is completely impenetrable. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, can pierce its flawless surface. As you can imagine, such a shield would require an impressive energy source." Dr. Eggman grinned evilly. "And I just so happen to have such an energy source. But more on that later. Suffice to say, it wouldn't be wise to attempt to break this shield."

The image changed, until Eggman was the sole occupant of the screen. "Right now, I would like to introduce the second, and quite possibly the greatest of my creations. And Sonic," the corpulent scientist's brow crinkled as he leaned forward, as though his eyes were narrowing behind his glasses, "You might like to pay close attention to this part, since it particularly concerns you." Leaning back in his chair, Eggman steepled his fingers again. "You see, not long ago, I had something of a revelation. Many, many times, I have designed and constructed machines to defeat you. Each and every time, I have failed. I freely concede that point. I even created a robot that was to be every inch your equal. I'm of course referring to Metal Sonic. Even then, with a machine as fast as you were, all of your skills and abilities copied and enhanced to the maximum possible degree, you still succeeded in defeating me."

His expression becoming slightly morose, Eggman stared down at point below the camera. "You have no idea how much time I have spent devising new strategies to defeat you. So many brilliant ideas scrapped. I dare say that I might have even become a bit depressed." Raising his gaze to the camera, he grinned wickedly. "But then, it came to me. I was aiming too low. I was striving to create a machine to be your equal. I needed something more." He chuckled briefly. "So I did exactly that. I created a machine to do what you could not. To succeed where even you have failed." Leaning forward with one hand braced on his knee, Eggman leered at the screen. "Behold my latest and greatest creation of all."

The camera followed as Eggman stood and walked to the right, and Cream whimpered in fear. Standing beside the brilliant madman was a machine that none of the women had ever seen before, and to Amy's infuriated eyes, it looked like someone had crossed Neo Metal Sonic with Omega. The machine's torso was thick and roughly triangular in shape, with heavy rectangular shoulders. The arms were large, the thicker rectangular forearms and lighter cylindrical upper arms articulated around a hinged elbow joint. The conical lower legs were almost as thick around as the waist, tapering towards the knee, with the hinged knee joint covered by a triangular plate reaching half-way up the slim cylindrical thighs. The heavy rectangular feet were split into two parts around a pivot point. The head sported five large spikes, each possessing an angular bent to them, much like Shadow's own. The face was expressionless, though the glowing red eyes had a certain menacing quality to them. Each grey hand ended in five claw-like fingers. The machine was mostly pitch-black in color, with red highlights similar Shadow's markings along its body and spines, as well as red patches on its forearms, small triangular ears and knee plates. Set within the machine's chest, behind a transparent metal panel, was the grey Chaos Emerald.

Grinning evilly as he laid his hand on the robot's shoulder, Eggman leered at the screen. "Allow my to introduce: Mecha Shadow. Now, for those of you who are a little slow on the uptake, just how is this machine any different than any other I have built? Well, as I have mentioned, Mecha Shadow here was built to accomplish what even Sonic could not." Stroking his mustache, Eggman chuckled to himself. "And it already has succeeded." Both man and machine stepped apart, and both Vanilla and Cream gasped in fear, while Amy's blood turned to ice in her veins as spotlight turned on in the background.

Shadow knelt on a circular platform, his arms held out straight by a pair of cylinders connected on either side of him to bulky machines. His jacket was gone, his black cargo pants little more than holes connected by pieces of ragged cloth. Various half-healed lacerations patterned his arms and torso. His head was bowed, obscuring his face in darkness.

Eggman chuckled evilly. "Yes, that's right. The Ultimate Lifeform, the greatest creation of my departed grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, Shadow the Hedgehog, has fallen before Mecha Shadow. And as you can clearly see, he didn't come easily. It was a close battle, let me tell you. But still, he fell." A thought seemed to occur to the red-suited scientist. "Oh, you needn't worry Sonic. He's not dead. As effective a demonstration of Mecha Shadow's power as that would be, Shadow is far more useful to me alive." Eggman's expression changed, almost seeming to be caring. "But, I understand. You require a demonstration, an act of good faith." Pointing at the immobile robotic duplicate, Eggman grinned cruelly. "Mecha Shadow, why don't you show them."

The dark machine nodded once, then disappeared in a flash of blue light. The image changed once again to a split-screen, one side focussing solely on the immobile Shadow, the other of the broad side of the Egg Carrier, covered by the shimmering energy shield. A black arm came into the camera's view, the hand collapsing into the wrist and adjusting into a small cannon. A brief glow emanated from the opening, and a shining yellow blasted of energy erupted forth and shot towards the Egg Carrier.

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

The energy shield flashed dimly as the energy bolt struck, and as Shadow threw back his head and screamed, Amy gasped and covered her mouth, her face growing pale. The raw-throated, pain wracked scream ripped through her heart, and tears sprang into her eyes as the obsidian hedgehog's body went ridged, as though an electric current was running through his body. His face constricted in a rictus of pain, Shadow finally fell silent and collapsed forward as far as his arms would allow, his head once again bowed forward and in darkness.

The camera once again focused solely on Eggman, Mecha Shadow appearing in a flash of blue light to stand near Shadow. Grinning, Eggman gave a theatrical bow. "And that concludes today's presentation. I'll be in touch." The TV flickered and changed back to the red screen emblazoned with the Eggman logo.

Cream turned and buried her into Vanilla's shoulder, sobbing in fear. Stroking her daughter's head in a futile attempt to reassure her, the elder rabbit softly whispered in her ear. "Shh, it's okay dear. I'm sure Sonic and the others will think of somethi

**SLAM!**

The abrupt sound of the door made both women jump, and when Vanilla turned around, Amy was nowhere to be found, the open door the only mark of her departure. Turning to the kitchen where Gemerl was standing, Vanilla nodded at the grey robot. "Go. Follow her and try to help."

Nodding, Gemerl flicked through datafiles in his mind, calling up Sonic's. "**I will.**" Turning, he rushed out the door.

* * *

Gritting his teeth furiously, Sonic clenched his fists. In front of him on the couch, Tails glared up at the TV screen. "Eggman. Of all the things you could have done, this is what you come up with? This is low, even for

**Slam!**

Both hedgehog and fox jumped whirling around. Standing in the open doorway, her chest heaving from the exertion, was Amy. Her spines were wind-blown and disheveled, and her head was bowed as she leaned against the door. One gloved hand was clenched in a tight fist.

Staring at her in surprise, Sonic took a hesitant step forward. It was the first time he had seen the pink hedgegirl in over a week, and while he had been hoping to see her again, this was hardly how he had planned it. "Amy? Are you okay?"

Panting, Amy gulped back a sob. "I need your help, Sonic." Raising her head, Sonic stepped back in astonishment. Her eyes were red from crying, and yet the azure hedgehog had never seen them filled with such wild fury. "I need you to help me rescue Shadow."

For a moment, Sonic stood in stunned silence. Off all the things that he thought she might say when next he saw her, those particular words had never once crossed his mind. Closing his eyes, he chuckled quietly to himself. _Heh. I guess this day is going to be anything but normal. Whatever 'normal' is for us._ Opening his eyes, he grinned, gave her a thumbs up, and said, "You got it."

Amy blinked. "Huh?" Truth be told, she hadn't been sure what to do. When Eggman's message had ended, the only thing on her mind was rescuing Shadow. The only person that she thought could possibly help her was Sonic, whether he wanted to help her or not. For him to be so..._willing_, it caught her off guard.

Tails jumped over the back of the couch and stood beside Sonic. "Count me in too." he said, his voice confident with a slight edge of anger.

Taken aback, Amy gulped a breath. "Just...like that?"

Nodding, Sonic grimaced slightly. "Of course. I'm guessing that you just saw the same thing I just did, and that was pretty sick, even by Eggman's standards." He smiled warmly, taking a step forward with his arms open. "Not only that, it looks like you came over here in a hurry, so this must be pretty important to you. Besides," he chuckled, "when's the next time I'm gonna get a chance to help save Shadow like this?"

Sonic's words struck home in Amy's heart, and for the first time that day, a small, genuine smile appeared on her face. "...thanks." _He's...still willing to help me. After all we said...I guess I should have known._

"You know, this is all very touching. But can you at least tell me that you bunch have a plan?"

Tails jumped and turned back to the TV, where a familiar bat sat in some sort of enclosed vehicle with a hooded gaze, a headset wrapped around her head. "Rouge! How did you..."

Rolling her eyes, Rouge sighed. "Tails, I like you, but right now, me hacking into your TV is the least of your worries."

Sonic grinned as he leaned against the couch. "Right. What's the G.U.N going to be doing about Eggman? I mean, we'll be doing our own thing, but a little heads up would be nice."

Rouge grimaced in disgust. "So far, nothing. They've been arguing for hours, and as of Eggman's little message, the only plan they've come up with is to bombard that energy shield until it runs out of power."

Amy stepped forward angrily, her expression one of shock and fury. "But that'll kill Shadow!"

Rouge nodded in agreement. "It's being argued as 'acceptable losses for the greater good'. Of course, one of the primary proponents of the plan is a certain air force general who has never really liked the idea of Shadow joining the G.U.N. Fortunately, we have some intel that the others don't. General Tower is arguing against the plan on the basis of futility. Eggman has all the Chaos Emeralds, and he probably has at least a couple wired in as back-up power sources."

Sonic nodded, a cautious expression on his face. "Just out of curiosity, Rouge, how do you know all this? What do you want?"

Smiling coyly, Rouge's turquoise eyes had a hint of steel to them. "General Tower _accidentally_ left his personal comm-unit on. And as for what I want," her face grew dark, "Shadow is my partner. I am not going to stand around doing nothing while a bunch brass-heads debate whether or not they're going to kill him."

Nodding again, Sonic grinned. "What, you mean that you're not coming as part of an officially sanctioned G.U.N mission?" he asked jokingly.

Smiling, Rouge shrugged. "I might have borrowed something of Shadow's to help me move around faster, but I'm sure he'll forgive me." Her expression turned serious. "So, what's the plan?"

Shaking his head, Tails spread his hands helplessly. "We don't have one right now. I mean, if we had the specs for Eggman's ship, then maybe I could

Rouge pressed a button on her wrist comm-unit, and a beep sounded from Tails' handheld computer. "**message received!**" Hurrying over, Tails' eyes widened in surprise as various schematics flicked across the screen. "Hey, how did you

Rouge smiled as she adjusted the control wheel in front of her. "Honey, do you really need to ask that question?"

Blushing uncomfortably, Tails nodded. "Rrright." Shifting through the design plans, the yellow fox furrowed his brow. "Hmm. This isn't good."

Stepping up beside him, Amy placed her hand on the teen's shoulder. "What is it?"

Frowning, Tails flicked to another schematic. "Eggman has really outdone himself. He wasn't lying when he said that nothing could break through the shield. I mean, I might be able to make something that could disrupt the shield long enough for us to get through, but it would take time..."

Rouge grimaced. "Time isn't something that Shadow has, Tails." _Which is somewhat ironic for him._ "We've got a deadline. Eggman is sure to come back with some demands, and the G.U.N is never going to back down from him. It's only a matter of time before they do something stupid that'll get Shadow killed, and we all know that Eggman isn't going to sit around waiting for them."

Shaking his head, Tails grimaced. "I know. And even if I could make something in time, there's no way of knowing if it won't backlash somehow onto Shadow. He has to be tied into the shield's power grid in order for to draw off of him directly." Rubbing the back of his head, he laid his computer back down. "Okay, let's think about what we know. Eggman is using Shadow to power his energy shield. As long as he's tied in, we can't do anything to the shield directly without hurting or killing him."

"**There is a weakness in the shield.**" Everyone turned to the doorway as Gemerl entered the room. Nodding at Sonic and Tails, the grey robot turned to Amy. "**Vanilla sent me, since you seemed distraught. If you are formulating a plan to rescue Shadow, you will need all the help you can get.**"

Nodding gratefully, Amy embraced the Gizoid duplicate. "Thank you. I'll be fine, right now I'm focusing on what I can do to help Shadow."

Sonic looked at the pair in confusion. "Wait. You ran here from Cream's?" Scratching at his spines, he went over the familiar run-path through his mind. "Eggman's message had ended barely a minute before you got here. So you must have..." his eyes widened. "Whoa." _Holy crap. I didn't even know Amy could run __**that**__ fast._ Gazing at her in newfound respect, Sonic grinned. _She's been holding out on me._

"Ahem." The group turned back to the TV screen, where Rouge waited impatiently. "This is nice and all, but what were you saying about a weakness in the shield, Gemmy?"

Gemerl nodded, playing the message back in his memory. "**Mecha Shadow was able to pass through the energy shield without difficulty through Chaos Control. Since we have the Egg Carrier schematics, all we need is a Chaos Emerald, and we will be able to teleport directly onto the ship.**"

Nodding, Rouge frowned. "Nice plan. Except we don't have a Chaos Emerald. Eggman set up a sting operation last night to get the last one, in Shadow's possession." A brief moment of anger flashed across her face. "I don't think I need to tell you how it went." she said with a constrained voice.

Sonic formed a rare scowl. "Great. Without a Chaos Emerald, we can't get through that shield." Shaking his head, he bopped the back of the couch. "Come on guys, think! There's gotta be **something** we can do. We can't abandon Shadow, not after everything he's done for this planet. I'll admit, he's not the friendliest of guys, but I still consider him a friend. He's always pulled through when we needed him, the least we can do is do the same for him!"

Pacing back and forth, Amy pressed her knuckles to forehead, trying to come up with something, **anything** that could help. _I can't let him die. Not after everything that's happened. Not after all he's done for me. I can't...let him go, not without at least telling him..._closing her eyes, she tried to stop her tears from leaking out. _Come on Amy! Shadow taught you so much! He even taught you how to use Chaos Control, there has to be something!_

Something clicked in her mind, and she opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat. _No...could I?_

Glancing over, Sonic noticed that Amy had become very still, seemingly gazing out the open doorway. "What is it Amy?" he asked cautiously.

"Eggman doesn't have all the Chaos Emeralds. He's still missing one." A note of finality was in Amy's voice, and as she turned around and gazed the TV screen, a steely look of determination formed on her face. "I have an idea, but he is really not going to like it.


	18. Reconcilliation

Amy stood atop the shrine of Angel Island. Behind her and to her left, leaning against a nearby pillar with a cocky smile, was Sonic. To her right, idly inspecting her glove, was Rouge. Beside her was Tails, his twin tails shifting nervously. At the base of the shrine were Gemerl and Omega, their scanners linked to the Tornado and Auto-Tread, the transforming vehicle that Rouge and Omega had arrived in, keeping a vigilant watch for any of Eggman's forces.

Standing before her, his arms folded across his chest and brow furrowed, was Knuckles. His impassive face was framed by his dreadlock spines, his pointed knuckles projecting through his gloves casting short shadows across the backs of his hands. Behind him, the massive Master Emerald sat in its cradle, the sunlight refracting through its crystalline interior casting a soft green glow across the paved stones of the shrine.

Sighing, Knuckles rubbed his forehead. "Let me just make sure I've got all this. You can't attack Eggman, because he's got this energy shield around his ship."

Nodding, Tails clasped his hands behind his back. "Yeah."

Nodding, Knuckles continued in an unusually calm voice. "And Eggman is using Shadow to power this shield. Because of this, you can't break the shield without hurting Shadow."

"Right again." Rouge answered in a bored voice.

Shooting the pale-furred bat a momentary irate glance, Knuckles took a calming breath. "So to get around this, you plan on using Chaos Control to teleport onto Eggman's ship."

Closing his eyes, Sonic idly tapped his foot against the paved surface of the shrine. "Three for three."

His eyes narrowing, Knuckles fixed a penetrating gaze on Amy. "And since Eggman has all the Chaos Emeralds, you want to use the Master Emerald to make this work?"

Taking a nervous breath, Amy nodded. "That's about it."

"Hmm." Tapping at his elbow, Knuckles turned and walked towards the Master Emerald, seemingly absorbed in thought. Turning, Amy glanced anxiously at Sonic, who grinned and started counting off the fingers on his hand. _5...4...3...2...1..._

**"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!"**

Wincing at Knuckle's irate bellow, Amy almost would have found his expression funny if the situation wasn't so serious to her. "Never mind the sheer idiocy of using the Master Emerald for that, do you even have a concept of what the word 'guardian' means?" he ranted. "It is my job to protect the Master Emerald from people like Eggman. And you want to basically drop it onto his front step? Would you like to gift wrap it while you're at it?"

Rolling his eyes, Sonic sighed. "Come on, Knucks. You know we would never let Eggman take the Master Emerald."

"Oh, stuff it, Sonic. This is the most moronic plan you have ever come up with." Raising his hands, Knuckles shook his head. "Don't get me wrong. I want to stop Eggman and help Shadow as much as anybody. But there is no way in hell that I am going to let you take the Master Emerald onto Eggman's ship."

Pushing away from the pillar, Sonic gestured impatiently at the stubborn echidna. "Knucks, cut us a little slack, will ya. We're not going to let Eggman have the Emerald. The only we can stop Eggman and save Shadow is if we get on the Egg Carrier. And the only way we can do that is if we use the Master Emerald. It's the only thing left with enough power to get us all there. Besides, it's not like you haven't tapped into the Master Emerald before. Remember when we had to stop the Ark from falling out of orbit? You tapped into it then."

Gritting his teeth furiously, Knuckles tried to suppress the urge to punch his friend. "That was a completely different situation. Besides, the Master Emerald is the only thing keeping Angel Island aloft. What do you propose to do about that?"

Rolling her eyes in irritation, Rouge huffed. "Oh, don't give me that, Knuckles. I can recall at least one occasion where you have purposely smashed the Emerald to keep it out of Eggman's hands, and you certainly weren't worried about the island falling out of the sky then."

Cautiously stepping forward, Tails gestured towards the Master Emerald and nodded. "And this time, we can make sure the island has a controlled, easy descent, instead of just falling."

Shaking his head, Knuckles held up his hands. "Fine, fine. But this is nuts. You're talking about using the Master Emerald to initiate Chaos Control. It's not like using a normal Chaos Emerald. The Master Emerald is the most powerful artifact on the planet. I've been guarding it all my life, and even I have no idea just how powerful it is. You could end up accidentally killing yourself if you lose control, Sonic."

"Sonic won't be doing it. I will."

His eyes widening in surprise, Knuckles looked at Amy. "What? You? Why?" he asked incredulously.

Taking a deep breath, Amy screwed her eyes shut. "Because for the last five months, I've been training with Shadow. And Chaos Control is one of the things he taught me."

Silence descended on the group. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles looked at her in surprise and astonishment at her proclamation, while Rouge simply observed quietly. She had to admit, it was somewhat gutsy to admit something like that.

Sighing, Amy continued. "Look, Sonic, you've teleported using Chaos Control what, once? None of the rest of you have ever done it. I've done it twice. Besides, this was all my idea. I'm going to be the one to carry it out."

For one of the few times in his life, Sonic was speechless. _Wow. So that's what she was up to. That's...kinda crazy._

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on." Holding out his hands, as if to ward off the sheer insanity of what he was hearing, Knuckles shook his head. "This was your idea Amy? Okay, I would almost expect something this crazy from Sonic. Stupidity is kind of his thing. But you? Fangirl crush aside, I always thought that you were pretty smart. But to come up with something like this, I seriously can't believe it."

Recalling how Amy had reacted in her apartment when she had mentioned her former crush, Rouge winced, waiting for the inevitable explosion. _Ah, Knuckles, you thick-headed echidna. Way to go._

Much to everyone's surprise, however, Amy remained silent. Her face held a sad expression as she looked at the ground, her spines obscuring her view. Finally, she spoke. "Knuckles, please. I know that this is a lot to ask. If there was any other way, **any** other way, I would take it." Raising her head, Knuckles was astonished to find tears in her eyes. "But there is isn't. This is the only way. I wouldn't even think of asking you to do this if it wasn't. So please." Grabbing his hands, Amy clasped them to her heart. "I'm begging you. Please help me. Help me rescue Shadow."

Sonic almost wanted to laugh at how awkward Knuckles looked, but not right then. "Come on, man. We owe it to Shadow. He's put up with a lot, more than pretty well any of us. We owe him this."

Pulling his hands out of Amy's grip, Knuckles turned and walked back to the Master Emerald. "Aaaaaugh." Laying his hand on the massive gem, he remained silent for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. "This is completely insane. There is no way I am letting the Master Emerald out of my sight."

Turning, he grinned. "So you had better have room for one more on this trip."

Abruptly, Amy slammed into him and hugged him tightly enough to make his ribs ache, burying her face into his neck. "Thank you." she whispered, struggling to contain the rising tide of happiness and barely suppressed fear within her.

Smiling awkwardly, Knuckles gestured to Sonic with a 'help me' look, but the blue hedgehog simply shook his head and shrugged helplessly as he grinned. "Uh, sure thing, Amy. No problem." he said, awkwardly patting her back.

* * *

Half an hour later found Amy sitting at the very edge of the island, her feet dangling in open air as she gazed forlornly at the horizon. She could feel the faint rise in her stomach as the island drifted down out of the sky, like when you were in a descending elevator. Her thoughts were awash with what they were about to embark on, her heart thumping with the truth that she had finally accepted, whole-heartedly. Taking a deep breath, she sighed.

"Hey."

Barely blinking at the voice behind her, Amy leaned back and braced herself with her arms. "Hi."

Standing with his arms folded as he leaned against a tree, Sonic studied the girl in front of him. "Mind if I join you?"

Amy shook her head. "No, it's fine."

Settling down beside her, Sonic sat with one leg bent beneath the other, his hands clasped over his knee. Neither hedgehog said anything for a long time, just gazing out across the ocean together. Smiling slightly, the azure one rested his head on his knuckles. "You know, I don't think we've ever done this. Just sat together."

Closing her eyes, Amy tilted her head back slightly as a breeze wafted over her. "No, I don't think we have."

"Hmm." Several long seconds passed, and finally, Sonic sighed. "So, I've got something to say. You probably don't want to hear it, and if you leave, well, I wouldn't blame you. "

Turning to look at him, Amy studied the blue hedgehog. For once, his face wasn't cocky, or proud, or any of the usual expressions that could be found there. She didn't say anything, simply waiting. Maybe she felt that she owed him just that much for agreeing to help her. Maybe she was genuinely curious about what he had to say. Who could tell? But she stayed.

Chewing over his thoughts, Sonic felt awkward for the first time since he could remember. "Okay, here goes. Amy, I..." shifting uncomfortably, he searched for the words, then sighed. "...I've been a jerk. And it's been my fault." Resting his forehead against his knuckles, he gazed at the ground. "I should have been clear about how I felt about you from the beginning. When we first met on Little Planet, I...let's face it, I was a kid. Back then, love was this weird girly thing that I didn't care about." He sighed. "But that doesn't excuse how I treated you for the next ten years. I ignored how you felt about me, because I just didn't want to face it. I was a jerk and a coward, running away at the first opportunity. And it kills me, because in doing that, I might have alienated one of the people who have always stood by me, when I should have been a real friend and returned the favor. And for that, I'm sorry. I understand if, after this, you don't want anything to do with me anymore." Screwing his eyes shut, he sighed again. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

For a long, agonizing moment, Amy was quiet. Returning her gaze to the distant horizon, she thought about his words. Finally, she sighed and bowed her head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry, Sonic. It's my fault that we're in this mess. I spent ten years blindly ignoring the obvious, chasing a dream that was unfair to you. I should have seen that we were better as friends than as a couple. I was just too afraid to be honest with myself. And because of that, I've hurt us both." Drawing her knees up to her chest, she hugged herself. "I hope you can forgive me for that."

Hardly believing what he was hearing, Sonic looked at her in amazement. "Me, forgive you? Amy, I should be asking you to forgive me for being a lying prick all these years."

Turning an anxious gaze on him, Amy shook her head. "I was the one being a stupid fangirl all the time."

The pair stared at each other, then blushed and looked away, the tension broken. "Heh, look at us. Still arguing over who's fault it is." Sonic chuckled.

Nodding, Amy wiped a tear from her eye. "Now we've just switched sides."

A moment passed as they stared at the horizon again. Amy sighed despondently. "Let's just admit it. We were both to blame."

Nodding, Sonic smiled softly. "Yeah. We were young and stupid." Turning to gaze at her, he held out his hand, palm up. "Can we at least still be friends? I'd honestly hate to lose you, Amy. I might not love you the way you wanted me to, but I still care about you a lot."

Looking at his white-gloved hand for a moment, Amy blushed slightly, then nodded. "Yeah." Taking his hand, she gave it a slight squeeze. "I'd like that."

Grinning, both hedgehog's turned their attention back to the horizon. For his part, Sonic was just happy that he had his friend back. As for Amy, she was marveling at just how much she had changed. A few months before, she would have given anything to be in a situation like this, just holding hands with her biggest crush. Now, sitting there with one of her closest friends, she understood just how precious that ability was.

A comfortable silence passed, and yet, something started niggling at Sonic's mind. "So, since we're friends again, would you mind if I asked you a question?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Sure. What is it?"

Unsure of what to say, the blue hedgehog scuffed at the ground with his foot. "Amy, what was that about back there? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you asked me for help. And you know that I'd always jump at the chance to spoil Eggman's day. It's just..." mulling over his thoughts, he paused. "It seems like this is different for you. Like this is something really important. And when we've been talking about it, you always seem to emphasize more on rescuing Shadow, rather than stopping Eggman." Raising his hands defensively, he swallowed and backpedalled mentally. "Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing. It's just...is there something else going on? I've never seen you act like that, and I've certainly never heard you beg for anything."

Mulling over his words, Amy stared over the edge of the island at the ocean below. She was quiet for a long moment, trying to decide how best to voice her thoughts. "Yeah, there is something else." Sighing, she leaned down and began tracing in the dirt between them. "I guess I should start at the beginning. Do you remember the day that you...'broke up' with me?"

Sonic nodded, his eyes following her finger in the dirt. "Yeah, I remember. Don't think I'm ever going to forget that day." he joked.

Smiling softly at his words, Amy tilted her head as a vague shape formed beneath her finger. "I guess you could say everything started on that day. After I had finished...with my little tantrum, I ran into Shadow again. I guess the place that I had planned on taking you to was where he went to think. Anyway, he told me that I only had myself to blame, that it was my own fault for deluding myself all these years. It hurt to hear it, but he was right."

Grinning slightly, Sonic nodded again. "Shadow has never had a problem with being honest, has he."

Giggling quietly, Amy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's true." Smiling sadly as her thoughts drifted back through the memory, she continued. "One of the things that he told me was, as long as I relied on others to save me and take care of me when I was in trouble, I would never be able to move on. And he was right again. I mean, I taught myself to fight just so that I could impress you, not to actually protect myself. So, I asked him to train me."

Sonic glanced at her. "And he said yes? No offense, but I just can't see that happening."

"Hmm." Pulling her hand away to study the mess of lines, Amy shook her head. "Actually, he refused at first. Said that it was a waste of his time."

Grinning, Sonic laid down and interlaced his fingers beneath his head. "See, that's the Shadow I know." His expression grew somber. "So, what made him change his mind?"

"Honestly, I'm not completely sure." Returning to her drawing, Amy tilted her head. "When I asked him, all he said was that he had made a promise, and that he always kept his word. Didn't say anymore, and I didn't press him on it."

Tapping his foot on the ground, Sonic gazed up at the cerulean sky. "Huh. Wonder what he was talking about." he mused.

Amy shrugged. "Anyway, we started the next day. He took me out to this place out in the wilderness, so that nobody would interrupt us. Shadow takes training very seriously." Poking the ground in a couple places, she smiled. "And that's where we stayed, for five months."

Chuckling, Sonic shook his head. "Man, I still find that so hard to believe." Turning slightly, he looked up at the pink hedgehog beside him. "But, I guess today has been pretty weird all around."

Smiling down at him, Amy brushed a couple of her spines out of her face. "Then this part is really going to blow your mind."

Frowning, Sonic propped himself up on one elbow, steadying his head in his hand. "Oh yeah? Try me."

Leveling a cool gaze at the azure speedster, Amy smiled coyly. "Remember Cream's birthday party?"

Nodding uncertainly, Sonic wondered where she was going with this. "Yeeeaaaaahh?"

"The next morning, I kissed Shadow."

"What!" So surprised was he, that Sonic's head actually slipped out of his hand and struck the ground, making Amy giggle. "Ow!" Rubbing the side of his head, he sat up and gave her a disbelieving gaze. "You kissed Shadow? Okay, now I know you are making this up."

Giggling, Amy brushed the dirt off her gloves. "Nope. It's true. Ask Rouge, she walked in on us."

Flabbergasted, Sonic could hardly believe his ears. "How did that happen?"

Turning her malachite gaze out of over the ocean, Amy sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. We were out there for five months. Over time, something just...changed. I don't know how to explain it." She smiled softly. "And then that morning...We had talked for a little bit. I think I learned more about him that morning than I had the whole time we've known him. I got swept up in the moment, and...kissed him."

Studying the expression on her face, Sonic wondered. Silence passed for heartbeats, then he spoke up. "Amy, do you love him? Is that why you're doing this?"

Blushing, she stared at the ground, then turned and embarrassed look at the blue hedgehog. "Is it that obvious now?"

Grinning, Sonic chuckled. "Kind of, yeah." Laying back down, he blew a breath between his lips. "Wow." A thought occurred to him and he glanced at her. "What about Shadow? Does he love you?"

Smiling, Amy smoothed out the dirt between them. "I think so. I mean, it happened again yesterday, except that time, he kissed me." Blushing furiously, she brushed a couple loose spines out of her face again. "It's just, we haven't said it. I mean, we couldn't say it. Shadow has never been in a situation like this, and I only admitted it to myself today." Looking at Sonic sadly, she blinked back faint tears. "That's why this is so important to me, Sonic. When I saw him in Eggman's message, what he was doing to him...I couldn't bear it."

Grimacing, Sonic nodded. "Yeah. This is a new low, even for Eggman."

Amy shook her head. "No, it's more than that. Shadow hasn't had an easy life. Even if I can't be with him, I have to at least tell him the truth of how I feel." Brushing her hand across her eyes, she tried to quell the rising tide within her. "He deserves some happiness in his life."

Nodding thoughtfully, Sonic sighed. "Yeah, I understand." Pausing for a second, he frowned. "Actually, I don't understand. What'd you mean, 'even if you can't be with him'? I get that Shad's hasn't been in a situation like this before, but that shouldn't matter. Am I missing something?"

Sighing, Amy hugged her knees to her chest. "It's...complicated, Sonic."

Sitting up, Sonic shook his head. "Why? If you love him, and you're pretty sure he loves you, what's stopping you?"

Burying her face into her knees, Amy tried not to cry again with little success. "It's just...it's just the way it is, okay? That's all." Sighing, she got to her feet. "Come on, we should head back." Turning, she walked away without another word.

Staring after her, Sonic frowned in confusion and concern. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. _Why do these things have to be so confusing?_ he thought as he got up and followed her.

* * *

The pair were nearly back to the Master Emerald's shrine when they felt a shudder run through the island as it settled into the ocean. Breaking into a run, both hedgehogs looked up as a shadow passed over head, revealing itself as Rouge. "I was just coming to look for you two. Where have you been?" she asked, her wings gracefully sweeping through the air.

Glancing at the silent Amy, who resolutely stared ahead, Sonic shrugged. "We were sorting some stuff out."

Nodding, Rouge gazed at the pair quizzically. "Whatever. Let's go, the sooner we get this show on the road, the better."

Grinning, Sonic chuckled as he accelerated. "No argument here."

Glancing up in time to see the three arrive, Tails grinned as he finished adjusting his Miles Electric computer. "Hey guys." Noting the downcast look on Amy's face, he frowned. "Uh, is everything alright?"

Giving herself a mental shake, Amy nodded. "Yeah. Sonic and I had just been talking." Smiling, she grabbed her hammer from where she had left it in the Tornado-1 and hefted it onto her shoulder, smiling bravely. "We're friends again."

Smiling in relief, Tails loosed a pent-up sigh. "That's good. You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."

Tossing a thumbs up at his best friend, Sonic grinned. "No sweat, bro. So, what's the plan?"

As the group gathered into a circle, Tails activated the holographic projector on his computer, creating a glowing green cross-section of the Egg Carrier in the air as Rouge stepped into the middle of the group. "Okay, here's the deal. Amy, with Knuckle's help, is going to teleport all of us onto the Egg Carrier, into this storeroom here." Pointing it the projection, she glanced at Tails, who zoomed in on where she was pointing. A small cluster of pictures formed around the image. "And before you ask, Knuckles is just going to help you because he's familiar with my Emerald. Think this will be enough to focus on?" she asked, giving the pink hedgegirl a pointed look.

Looking at the image, Amy frowned, then slowly nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Rolling her eyes, Rouge sighed. "Good enough. Once we're on board, we'll split into three teams. Team Two, consisting of Tails and Gemerl, will head for the nearest computer terminal and hack in. Your goal is to shut down that shield, both so that we can hopefully be able to get Shadow unhooked from the system, and provide us with an exit route. You'll also provide technical support on the fly. Got it?"

Both Tails and Gemerl nodded in agreement. "Once we find a computer, between the two of us, it shouldn't be too hard to get past Eggman's firewall." Tails said firmly.

Nodding, Rouge turned her attention back to the schematic. "Good. Team Three, Knuckles and Omega, will stay on the move. Once Eggman figures out how we got on board, there is no way he's going to pass up the chance to steal the Master Emerald, especially when he thinks he has the advantage, being on his own ship and all. Expect a lot of Eggbots."

Grinning in anticipation, Knuckles punched his spiked fists together. "I'd like to see them try. Eggman's tin cans couldn't best me on a bad day." Opposite from him, Omega ran a short diagnostic. "**Eggman's inferior robots will be nothing but scrap.**"

Smiling at her teammate, Rouge chuckled. "Naturally." Turning to Sonic and Amy, the pale-furred bat stuck her thumb into her ample chest. "Team One, comprised of myself, Amy, and Sonic, will go rescue Shadow. Most of the pressure will be divided between us and Team Three, but that's not really a concern." Grimacing, she turned back to Tails and handed him a data card. "This will be."

Plugging the data card into his computer, the young fox gazed uncomfortably as the holographic image changed, forming the shape and image of a familiar intimidating figure. "Mecha Shadow."

Raising his hand, Sonic grinned. "Dibs on Robo-Shads."

Amy looked at her friend worriedly. "Are you sure? Eggman was right, even you've never been able to beat Shadow. Do you really think you can beat something that can?"

Chuckling, Sonic gave her a thumbs up. "No problem. Eggman loves to build his plans of shaky ground. I've never beaten Shads because we've never finished a fight. Something's always come up to interrupt us. So yeah, I may have never beaten Shadow, but Shadow has never beaten me either. So this copy beating Shads doesn't mean anything."

"Ahem." Both hedgehogs looked at Rouge, who stood with her arms crossed, a serious expression on her face. "It might help if you actually knew something about this thing." Turning back to the floating image of the robot, she grimaced. "Mecha Shadow is state-of-the-art Eggman. He's got more firepower than even Omega, and I don't mean in conventional weaponry, though it has those in spades. This thing has full access to Chaos powers, and being powered by at least one Chaos Emerald, that makes it dangerous." Turning back to the pair, she started tapping her fingers on her elbow. "Not only that, but it also uses an advanced camouflage system that keeps it virtually invisible, even when moving at full speed. This thing can come at you, and you wouldn't even know it. Furthermore, when Shadow and I faced this thing last night, it was being powered by **FIVE** Chaos Emeralds. That's why Shadow lost. He's powerful, and had a Chaos Emerald of his own, but even Shadow can't stand up against that kind of power alone, let alone you Blue Boy."

Put off, Sonic grimaced. "Okay, so it might be a bit harder than I thought."

A coy smile formed on the thief's face. "Oh, come now, giving up already? I didn't say that you had no chance of winning." Taking a step back, Rouge leaned against the Master Emerald, drawing a wary glare from Knuckles. "After all, we have something Eggman doesn't." She grinned. "Welcome to Phase Two of the plan. Team Three will get to a good defensible position. There, Knuckles will use the Master Emerald to knock out the Chaos Emeralds. Without them, taking down Mecha Shadow will almost be like taking down Metal Sonic, and how many times have you done that?"

Everyone, save the robots, grinned. Continuing, Rouge pushed herself away from the Master Emerald. "Once Eggman loses the Emeralds, Sonic will go after Eggman solo, while Amy and I will meet up with Teams Two and Three in the main hanger, sabotaging the Egg Carrier as we go along. Tails has set up a remote control system for our planes, all of which are holding Extreme Gears. As soon as Eggman is out of the picture, we get out of there. End Game." Taking a short bow, Rouge stepped out of the circle.

Crossing his arms, Sonic grinned. "Awesome. Eggman is going down big time."

Shutting down the projector on his computer, Tails slipped it into his backpack. "There's just one more thing we need to remember. Rouge is pretty sure that once Eggman's shield goes down, the G.U.N is going to act fast. They're not going to hesitate to try to take out the Egg Carrier."

Nodding in agreement, Rouge folded her arms. "I checked in with HQ. General Tower is still arguing against launching a missile strike, but it's a losing battle and he knows it. The President is going to have to do what's best for the United Federation. I'll send the General a message just before we jump to the Egg Carrier, and that may buy us a little time, but I'm not going to count on it."

Sonic shrugged. "So we'll have a deadline, so what? We go in, smash some bots, rescue Shadow, beat Eggman, and get out. Easypeesy." Turning, he looked at Amy in concern. "You sure you can get us there? I mean, you might have some experience with Chaos Control, but you haven't moved this many people before. Think you'll be okay?"

Shaking her head firmly, Amy clenched her hammer. "I don't have a choice. Either I do it, or we give up now, and that's not a choice at all." Smiling appreciatively, she placed her hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Besides, with Knuckles giving me a hand, I'm sure there won't be any problem."

Sighing, the echidna in question turned and placed his hands on the Master Emerald. "Alright, enough standing around yammering. If we're gonna do this lets do it already."

Grinning, Sonic rolled his eyes. "And he says I'm impatient?" Chuckling, he clapped Amy on the shoulder. "You know what Amy? I think you're gonna do fine. You've never let me down in the past, you're not gonna start now."

Amy suddenly embraced him, taking the hedgehog by surprise. "Thank you Sonic. That means a lot to me." she whispered.

Smiling, for once in his life Sonic returned the hug. "Hey, come on. No mushy stuff right before a mission." he chuckled. "I'm glad we're friends again, Amy. You'll be great. I believe in you."

Smiling, Amy wiped the tears from her eyes as she released the hedgehog, and stepped up to the Master Emerald, taking a breath as she stood opposite from Knuckles. The muscular echidna eyes her in concern. "Hey, you sure you can do this?"

Taking a deep breath, Amy fixed her hammer to her back and nodded, placing her hands on massive gem before her. "Yeah. Like I said, I don't really have a choice." Taking another breath, she swallowed as she felt the pulsating hum of energy beneath her palms. _I think._

Knuckles shrugged. "Alright. Just, don't force it. Let the power come to you." Both of them closed their eyes, and taking a deep breath, Knuckles began intoning. "_The servers are the Seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart. The heart is the controller. The controller serves to unify the Chaos...Lend us your power, Master Emerald. Take us to where we must go, that we may do what must be done._"

The hum of energy beneath Amy's hands pulsated in response to the prayer, and she concentrated firmly in her mind the image of the storeroom within the Egg Carrier. Her breathing quickened as energy flowed up her arms, filling her with an unbelievable sense of power. As when she had used the Chaos Emerald, she had a distinct sense of the energy being alive, thrumming with activity, but this time it seemed much more directed, purposeful, as though there was a distinct something behind it. Concentrating, she let the energy build up inside her, and remembering what Shadow had taught her, sent the energy out into the world.

To the outside world, a bright orb of light expanded over the shrine, then vanished.


	19. Suspended

Amy felt as though she was floating, like in a dream. Neither warm, nor cold, just an endless void in which she just was.

_Where am I?_

Opening her eyes, she sucked in a breath of surprise. She was suspended in an endless pink light. There was nothing as far as the eye, save for the pink, undulating light. It shifted through various hues, sometimes bright, sometimes dark, but never varying in color.

_You are in between. You are in Chaos._

Her eyes widened in surprise, and Amy whirled around, searching for the voice. It seemed to come from all around her. _Who's there? Where are you?_

_Oh! I am sorry. It has been a very long time._

The voice was distinctly feminine, and seemed somewhat embarrassed. In front of Amy, the omnipresent pink light coalesced and shifted into an orb of red and white, which in turn formed the translucent image of a young orange echidna. Clad in ancient echidna tribal dress, the young girl opened her ocean blue eyes and smiled warmly.

_Hello, Amy Rose._

Frowning, Amy peered at the young girl, faint memories niggling at her mind. _You...look familiar...do I...know you?_

The echidna girl giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. _I wouldn't expect you to remember me. After all, we have only seen each other once, and only briefly. However, I now know a great deal about you, Amy Rose._ Curtsying, the girl bowed. _I am Tikal, companion of Chaos. It is a pleasure to finally meet you Amy Rose._

Her eyes widening in surprise, Amy could hardly believe what she was seeing. _Wait, you're Tikal? You're Knuckle's ancestor! The one who helped Sonic defeat Chaos a few years ago! I remember now!_ She frowned in sudden confusion. _But, how do you know me?_

Smiling, Tikal moved into a sitting position. _I'm happy that I am still remembered. I've been aware of you ever since you first came in contact with Chaos. I'm not sure when, time does not have the same meaning here as it does there. It could have been not long ago, it could have been ages ago, it's impossible to tell._ She gestured invitingly. _Please, sit. I may know a lot about you, but I'm sure that we still have lots to talk about._

Amy shook her head. _I'm sorry, but I can't talk. There's something very important that I have to do._

Tikal simply smiled. _I know. You are on your way to rescue Shadow._

Near the pair, the pink light shifted and distorted again, darkening into a deep red and black phantom image of Shadow kneeling. Amy's heart leapt into her throat, and tears formed in her eyes. _How...how do you know that? Is Shadow here? Can I talk to him?_

Shaking her head, Tikal looked at the image sadly. _I'm afraid not. This is drawn from your memories. You see, Amy Rose, _She gestured around them,_ This place is as much in your own mind as it is in Chaos. We are able to communicate because you immersed yourself in the Master Emerald's power, and through it, in Chaos itself._ She smiled reassuringly. _Do not worry. As I said, time does not have the same meaning here as it does there. When you return, it will be as though no time has passed at all. So please, sit. We have all the time in the world._

Amy looked at the bowed image of Shadow with an aching heart. Finally, she sighed and sat, or at least took the position of doing so. _I'm sorry, Tikal. I'm just so worried about him, and I've got so much I want to say._

Smiling warmly, the orange echidna simply tilted her head. _I know. It's alright. You've opened your heart to Chaos, I know exactly how you feel about him. I think it's beautiful. He feels the same you know._

Frowning, Amy studied the girl. _Um, if you don't mind my asking, how do you know Shadow? Or what he's feeling?_

_I've been aware of him ever since he first awoke._ Again, Tikal gazed at the ebony hedgehog's image sadly. _Since I became one with Chaos, I'm become aware of so many things. I know everything that has touched Chaos. I know Shadow very well, for he is always in contact with Chaos, though it is nebulous most of the time. He is in a great deal of pain, and very weak._

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Amy extended a hand out to Shadow, gently brushing her finger against his cheek. She sighed as her finger slipped through the fading phantom image. _I have to help him, Tikal. I can't let him suffer like this. He's been through so much..._

Nodding, Tikal offered her a consoling hand. _You will, Amy Rose. You are stronger than you are aware. I can feel how much you love him. It resonates from you. You will need that love._ She sighed, and got to her feet. _And now, it is time for you to go. I hope you like my gift._

As Shadow's image vanished, Amy looked at her in confusion. _What? What gift?_

Smiling, Tikal clasped her hands in prayer. _Chaos is the energy of life, Amy Rose. Everything it touches, it changes. Understand that._

Scrambling to her feet, or at least as much as one could scramble when floating in an endless pink void, Amy reached out to the girl. _Tikal, what are you talking about?_

Closing her eyes, a preternatural calm seemed to come over the young echidna. _You must hurry. Shadow does not have much time left. Farewell, and good luck Amy Rose._ Taking a deep breath, she raised her head, and the pink light around them seemed to pulsate with her words. **_The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart. The heart is the controller, which serves to unify the Chaos. Go, and do what you must._**


	20. Initiating a Rescue

When Amy felt herself arrive, a powerful wave of nausea swept over her. A moan escaped her lips as she fell to the floor, feeling like she was going to be sick.

"Amy!" Sonic exclaimed, kneeling by her side in a heartbeat. "Hey, are you alright?"

As everyone gathered around her in concern, Knuckles gritted his teeth. "I warned you something like this might happen! We've barely started and we're already one dow

"No." Opening her eyes, Amy panted quietly. As quickly as it had come, the nausea had vanished. "I'm...I'm okay."

Frowning in concern, Sonic placed a steadying hand on her shoulder as she rose to one knee. "You sure? Ya had me worried for a sec there."

Nodding, Amy swallowed and stood up. "Yeah...I'm okay." Looking at her hand, she felt...powerful. Something was surging through her, filling her with an energy and a burning desire to act. She felt stronger than she had ever before, like nothing on earth could stop her. "Never better, actually." Shaking her head, she pulled her hammer from her back and gazed at the nearby door, her emerald eyes filled with a fiery determination. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time."

Grinning, Sonic gave her a thumbs up and glanced over the group. "Alright! Everybody ready?"

Knuckles gave the pair a doubtful glance, then shrugged and grinned, slipping the shrunken Master Emerald into a small pouch at his belt. Across from them, Tails revved up his twin tails and lifted into the air, giving his own thumbs up. Beside him, Gemerl's eyes glowed softly, shifting his stance in preparation for running. Between them, Omega stood impassively, his massive clawed hands curled into fists as he ran fast diagnostics and ammo checks. Beside Knuckles, Rouge treaded the air with her wings, toying with a bomb in her hands. Smiling, the pale-furred bat shrugged her shoulders. "Well? What are we standing around for?"

Smiling in return, Amy gave a couple experimental swings with her hammer. It seemed lighter than before. _I don't know what you did, Tikal, but thank you._ "Mind if I make our entrance, Sonic?"

Grinning, the blue hedgehog gave a low bowed, gesturing towards the door. "Sure, why not? Go for it."

Fixing the door with a fiery gaze, Amy crouched in a starting position, gripping her hammer firmly with both hands. Charging forward, she gave a shout and swung with all her strength.

**KER-RANG!**

The metal door crumpled like it had been struck by a meteor, its hinges and locking bolt disintegrating beneath the impact. Flying out of its frame, the now useless piece of metal flew down the hallway, landing with a loud, echoing **clang!**

Everyone, Amy included, stared in shock. Never in her life had she ever stuck something so hard, or had such an effect on her target. "Whoa." she whispered.

Recovering, Sonic chuckled. "Sweet. Let's go."

* * *

_Cackling manically, Eggman gazed down from atop his colossal sized mech in triumph. Trapped in the machine's hand, writhing in pain, was his hated enemy, Sonic the Hedgehog. All around them, the broken remains of Station Square burned around them. Eggman didn't care. Cities could be rebuilt, even bigger and grander than before. This was a moment to be savoured. "Hoo, ho ho ho ho ho! Finally, I've done it! All these years, all the countless schemes, at last, I've done it! I finally have you at my mercy, Sonic. And this time there will be no last minute save. No Chaos Emeralds to grant you a Super Form, no friends to rescue you. At long last, I've won, and you," he pointed a triumphant finger at his nemesis, "have lost."_

_ Groaning, Sonic tried to shake himself free, but the robot's massive hand kept its iron grip. "You're not going to get away with this, Eggman. I've beaten you before, and I can do it again."_

_ Chuckling, the mad doctor grinned wickedly at the irritating ball of thorns that had constantly ruined his plans, until this day. "I'm afraid that won't be true this time, you rotten little hedgehog. Still, I must give credit where credit is due. You've always somehow managed to come out on top. But this time, you're luck has run out, and it's been a long, long time coming." Sneering, Eggman planted his hands on his hips. "The race is over, Sonic. And you're in last place."_

_ Gritting his teeth, Sonic struggled fruitlessly to escape, making the doctor chuckle again. A faint buzzing noise reached his ears, but he ignored it. Nothing was going to distract him from this glorious moment. "You know, I'm having trouble deciding just what to do with you. Should I put you into a special prison, and let you watch as I achieved my long deserved domination of this wretched planet, or should I just kill you." Tapping his chin thoughtfully, Eggman considered his options. "It's not nearly as satisfying as forcing you to watch as everything you love and care about is recycled into the glorious Eggman Empire, but given your annoying penchant for interfering at the last possible moment and ruining things, perhaps I should simply save myself the trouble."_

_ The buzzing noise in his ear grew more insistent, drawing an irate grown from the moustached scientist as he whirled around. "Orbot! What is that blasted buzzing noise!"_

"Apologies boss, but you requested that I awake you if something came up."

Unwillingly opening his eyes, Eggman glared at the little round robot sitting on the floor of his room. "Even in my dreams, I can't beat that blasted hedgehog." he grumbled. Pushing himself into a sitting position on his bed, he grimaced. "This had better be very, **very** good, Orbot. Because if it isn't, there isn't going to be enough of you left to be used for spare parts."

Gesturing with his small hands, Orbot frowned. "Unfortunately, it isn't good at all. It seems that, somehow, Sonic and his friends have managed to board the Egg Carrier."

For a moment, Eggman remained silent, staring at the little assistant robot. Then, he exploded. "**WHAT!**" Leaping to his feet, he grabbed his red coat as he rushed out of the room. "That's impossible! The Egg Shield is completely impenetrable, and even if it wasn't, Sonic would never risk Shadow's life in breaking it. That was the whole point of capturing him!"

Hopping along behind him, Orbot gestured helplessly. "I don't quite know, Doctor. One moment, everything was fine. Then, Sonic and several others suddenly just appeared in a storage room on Deck 13."

As the doors to the command center slid open, Cubot looked up and waved. "Hey boss! Guess what, we've got guests!"

"I know that, you useless piece of junk!" Jumping into his control chair, Eggman pulled up to his console. "Show me the security footage!"

On his screen, an image of the empty storeroom appeared. The flash of light appeared, and Eggman glared at the image. "Rrrrrrrgh. Damn you, Sonic. Why is it so hard to keep one blasted hedgehog out..." abruptly, he frowned. "Is that Gemerl? I thought that Gizoid replica had been destroyed."

Jumping into his own seat, Orbot looked at his screen. "It would appear that he has been rebuilt, and reprogrammed."

Studying the image, Eggman gritted his teeth in anger. "But how? It obviously looks like they used Chaos Control, but that's impossible. I have all the Chaos Emeralds, where could they have gotten the power to do..." He paused, and leaned forward. "Is that the Master Emerald?"

"Hey, it is!" Cubot exclaimed. "Wow, wonder how we managed to miss that. Hey, do you think they sunk Angel Island? Or maybe it's sitting somewhere on land

"Shut up!" Eggman snapped. Leaning back in his chair, he began stroking his chin. "Hmm. Orbot, where are they now?"

Calling up various security camera's, Orbot ran a quick scan. "Most of the group are on Deck 8 now. However, two individuals have split off from the group, appearing to be Knuckles and the rogue E-123 Omega. They are some distance away on Deck 11, and appear to be heading for the main hanger."

"Hmm." Various wicked ideas flicked through Eggman's mind. "That Echidna would never let the Master Emerald out of his sight. I'm surprised that Sonic even attempted something this foolish. And if Rouge and that wayward robot are here..." He snapped his fingers. "But of course! They're going to try to rescue Shadow." A wicked grin spread across his face, and he stroked his mustache. "Hmm. This could actually be better than I thought." Slapping his palm on the arm of his chair, he chuckled. "Orbot! Send all Eggbots to intercept Sonic and the Master Emerald."

Nodding, the small round robot activated the security alarm. "Yes sir. Anything else?"

Eggman snapped his fingers again. "Mecha Shadow!"

At the back of the room, Mecha Shadow's eyes lit up, briefly turning a soft silver before switching to their normal red. "**Awaiting instructions.**"

Turning in his chair to face the robot, Eggman grinned. "Get into position. We're going to have a little surprise waiting for Sonic, and his annoying little friends."

Giving a single nod, Mecha Shadow disappeared in a flash of blue light.

* * *

Bright red lights began flashing up and down the corridor, as a loud warning alarm began blaring. Glancing up, Sonic grinned. "Well, looks like Eggman's finally figured out we're here."

Spying a junction ahead, Tails waved to Gemerl, who was running beneath him. "Here's our stop. See you guys, we'll have that shield down as soon as we can!"

Amy waved back as the pair dashed down the second corridor. "Good luck you guys!" Frowning, she glanced at Sonic. "You know, I would have expected Eggman to put up a bit more of a fight than this. There's hardly been any Eggbots at all."

Shrugging, the azure speedster just shook his head. "I know. Maybe we caught him napping or something."

Above the pair, Rouge grimly gazed ahead, ignoring the dampened alarm through her headset. Feeling a buzz against her wrist, she glanced at her comm-unit. "Hold up, I've got something." Landing with a soft click, she frowned as the hedgehogs gathered around her. "A lot of somethings." Taking a few steps forward, she cautiously peered around the corner ahead, her eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, so that's what it is."

Thumping down the corridor, a massive column of Eggbots barred their way. Standing three abreast, each rotund war-machine was armed with a hand-held laser gun, in addition to their large spiked fists and bodies.

Leaning over top of the bat, Sonic looked at the column curiously, then grinned. "Aw, geez, that's it? It was sweet of Eggman to send a welcoming party, but these guys are gonna be no sweat." Chuckling, he hopped out into the open, leaving an exasperated bat and unsurprised hedgehog behind him.

The first row of Eggbots immediately caught sight of the blue hedgehog, and as the image was transmitted through the ranks, the entire column came to a halt. Clapping slowly, Sonic grinned broadly. "Man, it's about time you guys showed up. I was getting bored just wandering around. I mean, come on, is this a battleship or a snorefest?"

Initially puzzled by the hedgehog's unafraid words, one of the Eggbots stepped forward and trained its weapon on him. "**Organic lifeform, identified as Sonic the Hedgehog. Surrender immediately, or be destrokchlerg!**"

Spin dashing through the robot, Sonic chuckled as he bounced from Eggbot to Eggbot, leaving a trail of dented and broken machines behind him. "Yeah, I don't think so! Ya see, I've got an appointment with the big Egghead, and I hate being late!"

Sighing, Rouge grinned at Amy as she flexed her wings. "Why doesn't that surprise me at all. Lets go." Running around the corner, she launched herself into the air, bombs in hand.

The scent of ozone filled the air as the Eggbots opened fire, albeit ineffectually. Whirling through their ranks, Sonic slammed from one robot to another, moving too quickly for the machines' targeting systems to get a lock. And it didn't get any easier against Rouge. Bobbing and weaving through the erratic laser blasts, Rouge delivered a veritable volley of explosions with her Heart Bombs, scattering the Eggbots beneath her in a shower of metal. Gritting her teeth as one of the bots launched itself into the air with a pair of booster rockets, she tucked her wings close and threw herself into a Screw Kick, her steel-toed boots drilling through the machine's metal skin. Dropping out the other side, Rouge scanned the chaotic hallway for Amy, whom she had lost in the fight.

_Where is that girl?_ she wondered. _I know she can take care of herself, training under Shadow has to count for something. But he's not going to be happy if I managed to lose her in this mess._ Turning, her eyes widened as another Eggbot bore down on her from above, its spiked fist pulled back in preparation as fire blazed from the boosters set in its back. _Oh, crap!_

"Hrraaaaaah!" Out of nowhere, a red and gold hammer flew into her vision, smashing into the Eggbot's chest with such force, that the machine practically disintegrated beneath the blow. Glaring at the machine with feral fury, Amy curled into her own Homing Attack and slammed into the broken Eggbot, smashing it into the floor as though driven by the meteor. Rising from the wreckage, she set her angry gaze down the corridor and revved herself into a Spin Dash.

Her heart bounding with adrenaline, Rouge watched with astonishment as the younger girl powered through the ranks of Eggbots like a wrecking ball, emerging only to scatter the condensed crowd of robots with powerful swings of her hammer. _Holy...Shadow, what the hell did you do to this girl!_ Beating her wings frantically, she gave chase of the two hedgehogs, noting the drastically different fighting styles. Sonic thundered around the corridor like an out-of-control bouncy ball, grinning with relish at the excitement. In contrast, Amy powered through the Eggbots like a juggernaut, pulverizing everything in her way. Between the two of them, Rouge barely needed to do anything.

At the far end of the hallway, Sonic skidded to a stop as he finished slicing through an Eggbot, grinning as he turned and regarded the three robots that stood before him. "Come on, guys, step it up a little. I know that Eggman built you guys to be slow, but this is just ridiculous."

The middle Eggbot took a step forward, then with a loud **crash** flew forward as it was impacted from behind. Saved by his lightning fast reflexes, Sonic watched with astonishment as both the Eggbot and the crumpled remains of a second one smashed into the wall where he had previously stood. Turning, he gulped as Amy charged forward, smashing the legs of the right Eggbot out from under it and, without stopping, launched the opposite Eggbot towards the ceiling with a single smooth swing of her hammer. The airborne machine erupted in sparks and shards of metal as Rouge drilled through it with her Screw Kick, while Amy brought her hammer down on the truncated Eggbot's head with a decisive **slam!**

Wiping her brow, Amy panted as she leaned on her hammer. "Whew. I dunno how you manage to keep up all the banter that you do, Sonic. I certainly can't."

Grinning nervously, Sonic took in the long trail of wreckage behind her. "Eh, it's kinda something that just comes natural to me. Looks like Shad's training has really payed off for you though."

Smiling, Amy nodded. "Yeah. It was worth every moment. Do you mind if I take a quick breather?" Walking over to the wall, she sat down and leaned her hammer beside her.

Shaking his head, Sonic blew a breath as Rouge landed beside him. "Man, I am so glad she's not mad at me anymore."

Standing with her hands on her hips, the pale-furred bat smiled. "I can see why you were so scared to turn her down. I honestly don't know who destroyed more Eggbots back there; you, or her."

Rubbing the back of his head, Sonic grinned. "No kidding. I've never seen her like this before, and I've seen her at her worst." Pulling back the edge of his glove, Sonic tapped a button on the wrist-communicator that Tails had given him. "We'd better check in on everyone. Hey, Knuckles! How ya doin buddy?"

* * *

Down several decks, Knuckles shrugged as he leaned against a wall. "Ran into a few Eggbots, but nothing really difficult. I haven't even punched anything yet. Omega's been...very enthusiastic about the fighting."

Around the corner beside him, the staccato of gunfire and various explosions rocked the corridor, punctuated by the bulky war-machine's taunting bellows. "**COME, INFERIOR ROBOTS! I WILL REDUCE YOU TO SLAG! DEATH TO EGGMAN!**"

Grimacing, Knuckles turned and looked at the wall of debris blocking the corridor behind him. "He also seems to like 'collateral damage' a lot. It's starting to weird me out."

"Yeah, I should have mentioned. Omega enjoys breaking Eggman's toys veeeeery much." Rouge commented coyly from the wrist-communicator's tiny speaker.

Rolling his eyes, Knuckles grunted. "You don't say. Anyway, we're not too far from the hanger now. How about you guys?"

"Based on what Tails said, we're about one level down from where Shadow is being kept. Eggman sent us a welcoming party, but it was kinda dull." Sonic joked. "How about you Tails? You guys alright?"

"Yep! Gemerl and I found a computer console, I'm just starting to hack in now. It shouldn't take more than a couple minutes."

Nodding, Knuckles grimaced as another explosion echoed around the corner. "Alright. As soon as Omega and I get into the hanger, I'll set to work on disabling the Chaos Emeralds as soon as I can. I'll see you guys there."

"Later Knucks! Don't go too easy on them!"

Chuckling, Knuckles shook his head and sighed. "Alright, enough fooling around. Hey, Buckethead! My turn!" he bellowed, clenching his fists as he charged around the corner.

* * *

Grinning from ear to ear, Sonic gestured to Amy. "You ready?"

Nodding, the pink hedgehog pushed herself up from the floor. "Yep, I'm ready."

Calling up a zoomed in schematic of the Egg Carrier on her comm-unit, Rouge traced a path with her finger. "There's an access elevator just down this corridor. Once we're up, Shadow's room should be 300 meters that way." Glancing at the pair, she grimaced. "The closer we get, the more likely we are to encounter Mecha Shadow, so keep your eyes and ears open. If it does show up, all of us are going to have to hit it at once, and even then, the best we're going to be able to do is stall until Knuckles can knock out the Chaos Emeralds. Let's hope that Eggman didn't decide to pack all seven of them into it."

Grinning, Sonic popped a thumbs up. "No sweat. Eggman hasn't built a robot that could keep me down yet. Come on, let's do it to it!"

Smiling grimly, Amy clenched her hammer, and the trio took off down the corridor.


	21. Redemption

**System diagnostic complete. Sensors calibrated and functioning at full capacity. All system repairs completed.**

** Chaos Emerald connections secure. Power output optimal.**

** Charge complete. Chaos Drive at 100%. **

** Resuming Program Abnormality analysis.**

** ...**

** Analysis...inconclusive. Meaning uncertain.**

** ...**

** Hostiles detected. Uploading combat protocols. Target acquired.**

* * *

With an angry grunt, Amy smashed the Eggbot in front of her into the floor, leaving a pancake of flattened metal beneath her hammer. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she leaned on her hammer as she took a look around. "Is that it?"

A few feet away, Sonic chuckled as he watched the eye-lights on his own robot blink out. "I know, that wasn't hard at all. Eggman's losing his touch."

Rolling her eyes, Rouge examined the access panel on the door. "For now. Knowing Eggman, there's going to be more here soon." Frowning, she punched in commands on the touch screen. "Aaaaaaaand here we go. Eggman still can't secure a computer to save his life."

Nodding, Amy gazed at the door with a sense of foreboding. Behind that wall of steel was Shadow. She had to get to him, but for reasons she wasn't quite certain about, she was afraid.

Sonic stepped up beside her, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey. You alright?"

Swallowing, she nodded. "Yeah. It's just...we're so close now. What if..."

Smiling, Sonic gently squeezed her shoulder. "Come on. Everything's gonna be fine. We'll get him out, kick Eggman to the curb, and go home. Easy as that."

Rouge nodded in sympathy, despite the nervous feeling that pervaded her. Mecha Shadow had yet to show itself, and that worried her more than anything. "Showtime, boys and girls. We haven't got a lot of time left, and frankly I don't want to spend anymore time here than I have to."

Taking a steadying breath, Amy steeled herself and nodded. "Right. Lets go."

A single press of a virtual button, and the door slid open with a quiet **swoosh**, revealing pitch darkness. Side by side, Amy and Sonic dashed into the room, their every sense heightened to the maximum. The second she crossed the threshold, Amy got a distinct sense that something was wrong. It was a similar feeling that she had gotten while training with Shadow, split-seconds before he attacked her from an unexpected direction. This particular feeling wasn't quite as urgent, but it was ominous enough that she wasn't going to dismiss it.

She gasped. "There he is!"

Set along one wall, illuminated by several overhead lights, was a massive bank of machinery. Various lights and screens blinked and flickered across its surface. And right in the middle, set on a raised platform, was Shadow. Just as in the broadcast, he was down on his knees with his head bowed, his arms held captive by a pair of cylinders connected to the machines on either side of him. His cargo pants were ripped to shreds, his jacket missing entirely, and a small puddle of dried maroon blood sat between his knees. For Amy, it was a heart-wrenching sight, and in a flash she hurried to his side.

"Shadow! Come on, wake up. Please be alright!" Laying her hammer down, she worriedly cradled his face in her hands, her expression fearful as her heart hammered in her chest. Behind her, Sonic grimaced, his arms crossed and brow furrowed in anger.

Rouge approached slowly, dropping down to one knee. "Here, let me see." Lowering her head, she pressed one large ear to his chest, and sighed with a relief. A steady heartbeat thumped inside, though it was painfully weak. "He's still alive, barely." Gently sliding her gloved hands across his body, inspecting him for injuries with her fingertips, Rouge's expression became increasingly grave. "And we need to get him out of here. Now." The tips of her gloves came away dark red as she touched her headset. "Tails, how's that shield coming? We're running out of time."

"Sorry. Eggman's robots found us, and I had to unplug Gemerl. He's holding them off for now, but Eggman's got so many redundancies built in to his system, that I'm having a hard time isolating the right command sequences."

Gritting his teeth, Sonic took a quick look around the room. "Come on, Tails. All we need is to turn the shield off."

"It's not that simple!" A mixture of worry and exasperation entered the fox's voice through the comm. "If I don't use the right commands, it won't work. The shield system is practically tied into everything. I can't just shut down half the ship in the blink of an eye. "

Glancing up at the ceiling, Amy clenched her eyes shut. "It's okay Tails. Just work as fast as you can." Sighing, she looked at Rouge. "How bad is he? Please, just tell me."

Glancing at the pink hedgehog, Rouge shook her head. "It's not good. His shoulder is dislocated, and he's got at least three broken ribs. I'm pretty sure that he's not bleeding internally, otherwise he'd probably be dead already. And from the looks of all these cuts, he's lost quite a bit of blood. We're lucky that he's still alive, but if we don't get him out of here and to a hospital soon, he won't be for much longer." Her voice was steady and calm, but her expression betrayed her worry and anger.

Tapping his foot impatiently, Sonic gritted his teeth. "Why don't we just break those connector thingies? It'd be a lot faster than

A shiver ran down Amy's neck, and her instincts jumped in. Spinning around as she stood, she shoved Sonic aside and swung her hammer with all her might.

**Ker-Pang!**

_Something_ impacted against the face of the hammer, throwing up sparks as it skidded against the floor. Rows of lights flicked on along the ceiling, illuminating the now evidently large room. At first, it appeared to be empty save for the three hedgehogs and bat.

A few feet away from them, the air rippled like water, shimmering to reveal Mecha Shadow. Crouching in a tripod stance with its hand to the floor, the machine gazed ambivalently at the trio with its menacing red eyes as it rose to its feet.

"**Ho ho ho** ho ho ho ho!" At the far end of the room, a circular section of the ceiling separated from the rest, slowly descending down to reveal Dr. Eggman sitting in a command module. "Very interesting. It seems that tapping into the Master Emerald has triggered a very unusual reaction in your little girlfriend, Sonic. I'm rather curious." Stroking his mustache, Eggman peered at Amy quizzically.

Taking a step forward, Sonic chuckled. "Heh, wouldn't you like to know. You've crossed a line with what you've done to Shadow, Eggman, and now I'm taking you down!"

"Ha!" Clapping his hands, Eggman shook his head in disbelief. "Oh, please, Sonic. This is hardly the worst thing I have ever done. Besides, you couldn't possibly stop me." Sweeping his arm out in a broad gesture, Eggman grinned. "Not even Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, the one person in the world that you have failed to defeat, could overcome Mecha Shadow. What chance do you have?"

Sonic merely smirked. "You know what? You're right. I've never beaten Shadow. Never had the chance to." Crossing his arms, Sonic chuckled. "But Shadow's never beaten me either. And you think this guy can do it? He's a copy of a copy, a Fake Faker! You can't get much lamer than that, Eggman."

Gritting his teeth, Eggman snarled. "I'll show you which of us is lame! Mecha Shadow, get him!"

Crouching in preparation, Sonic smiled. "Alright, buddy. Show me what you got!"

As hedgehog and robot shot towards each other, Rouge's face twisted in anger. "Oh no you don't! I've got a bone to pick with that metal loser myself! Amy, stay with Shadow." Turning, the bat lofted herself into the air, bombs in hand.

Gripping her hammer, Amy shook her head. "No. I'm not going to stay out of this fight. I'm going to

"Uuuuuhhh."

* * *

Through the pain and weakness that fogged his mind, the sounds of battle echoed in the darkness. Blinking his eyes open, Shadow slowly raised his head, groaning with the effort.

_Im...impossible._ Staring in wonder, Shadow could hardly believe his eyes. _I must be hallucinating. This cannot be._ "Ro...Rose?"

Crouching in front of him, Amy Rose smiled with tears in her eyes, explosions and blurs flashing behind her. Reaching up, she took his face in her hands. "Shadow! You're awake! It's okay, we'll get you out of here as soon as we can."

Unable to take his eyes off her, Shadow swallowed. "What...are you doing here? How?"

Giggling slightly, Amy pressed her forehead to Shadow's. "We're here to rescue you. When I saw what Eggman was doing to you, I..." sniffing back her tears, she brushed the back of her hand across her eyes,"I had to do something. I couldn't just let him hurt you."

An explosion made Shadow look over her shoulder, his eyes widening as he saw Rouge fly across the room and crash into the wall. "Is that...Sonic? And Rouge? Fighting Mecha Shadow?" he asked incredulously.

Nodding, Amy glared across the room at Eggman, who was merely sitting in his command module. "Mhmm. I knew that I needed help, so I brought everyone. Tails, Gemerl, Knuckles, Omega, they're all here on the Egg Carrier."

"No." Turning back, she gaped as Shadow slowly shook his head. "No, you shouldn't have come. Sonic doesn't stand a chance, Mecha Shadow is too powerful!" As if to prove his point, Sonic and Mecha Shadow spin-dashed into each other, the robot backflipping out of the attack to grab Rouge by the ankle and throwing her into the hedgehog. As the two of them crashed together, a rocket engine rose out of Mecha Shadow's back and fired a quick burst, sending the machine hurtling towards the pair.

Yawning as Sonic barely managed to dodge out of the way with Rouge in tow, Eggman rose from his chair and braced himself against the edge of his command module. "Well, Sonic, you've put up a good fight. But now I've had enough of this pathetic charade. Mecha Shadow, take them down!"

Standing from the small crater in the floor it had created, the black and red robot nodded. "**Understood. Activating Chaos Drive.**" A soft hum came from within the machine's chest, and though it was hidden from the others sight, the five Chaos Emeralds contained within began glowing.

Sonic gritted his teeth as he rose to one knee. "Rrrg. This thing is tough. Heck, even Metal Sonic isn't usually this tough."

Beside him, Rouge nodded, rubbing her shoulder in pain. "We've gotta take this thing down, otherwise we haven't got a shot at getting Shadow out of here or taking down Eggman. Knuckles, it would be really nice if you could disable the Chaos Emeralds right about now."

"I'm a little busy at the moment, Rouge. Eggman had a welcoming party waiting for us in the hanger."

Rolling his eyes, Sonic stood up. "Yeah, he had one waiting for us too. And ours is a little more _chaotic_, if you get my drift Knucks."

"...Crud. Alright, I'm on it. Omega, cover me!"

Wincing, Rouge rolled her arm in a slow, wide circle, and pulled her last bomb from her belt. "Alright. One more shot." Beside her, Sonic nodded. "Lets do it." Together, they charged at Mecha Shadow, Rouge lofting herself into the air, Sonic revving into a Spin Dash.

Silently gazing at the pair, Mecha Shadow waited. As the pair drew closer, the android's eyes briefly flickered silver, then back to red. "**Understood.**" Energy surged through its circuits, and a red orb of energy surrounded it, surging outwards in a shockwave. The blast smashed into Sonic and Rouge, throwing them backwards and detonating Rouge's bomb as it flew out of her hand. A heartbeat later, Mecha Shadow appeared in a flash of blue light above her, striking her back in a powerful axe kick directly between her wings. Teleporting again, the robot blitzed Sonic with a barrage of attacks from all directions, either repeatedly slamming him with physical blows or bombarding him with Chaos Spears from a pair of cannons that replaced its hands. As a final blow, Mecha Shadow delivered a powerful heel kick into Sonic's chest, launching him into the wall, then teleported forward and swung the azure hedgehog into the floor.

Watching in horror, Amy clamped her hand over her mouth as both Sonic and Rouge lay unmoving on the ground. At the opposite end of the room, Eggman burst out laughing. "Ho ho ho ho! Yes! I can't believe it! I've won! I've actually won! Sonic is down and beaten! Sweet victory at long last! Mecha Shadow, finish them off."

Gritting her teeth, Amy glared at the doctor and took a breath, picking up her hammer. "No."

Looking at her, Shadow shook his head. "Rose, don't. You can't defeat this thing. Get out of here, now!"

"No." Shaking her head, Amy's grip on her hammer tightened. "No, I'm not leaving. I'm not letting him win, and I sure as hell am not leaving you here."

Groaning, Shadow tried to rise, then slumped down. "Rose, get out now! You can't win!"

"I don't care!" Whirling around, Amy fell to one and hugged him. "I said I'm not leaving you! I don't care how strong Mecha Shadow is, I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving because I love you!" Pulling back, Amy leveled a gaze filled with love and iron determination at the dumbfounded hedgehog. "I love you, Shadow. I don't care about everything else. I love you, and I am not going to let you go." Taking a breath, she gave him a powerful, passionate kiss, trying to convey in that moment every ounce of desperate emotion in her heart. As she pulled away, she wiped the tears out of her eyes and stood. "I just had to make sure you knew." she said, as she turned away.

Watching her walk away, for the first time in his life Shadow was at a complete loss for words. _She...loves me?_ Her words played over and over in his head, forming and endless mantra as a familiar warm feeling filled his heart, alleviating the pain that ravaged his body. _She...loves me._ Fear, anger, desperation and love merged together in an unstoppable torrent, and Shadow's expression hardened. Gritting his teeth, he slowly began rotating his arms inside their restraints, ignoring the flare of pain that erupted in his dislocated shoulder.

* * *

Frowning, Eggman gazed at Mecha Shadow. For some reason, the machine appeared to be hesitating in following its orders. "Well? What are you waiting for, finish them off!"

"Pardon me, Doctor, but you may want to see this."

"Mmh?" Turning his gaze, Eggman blinked in surprise. "What is **she** doing?"

Walking towards Mecha Shadow, her hammer in hand, liquid fire surged in Amy's veins. Her entire body radiated quiet determination and purpose, a razor sharp emerald gaze locked on the robot before her. "Hey, Mecha!" she called out, her voice steel-hard. "Over here!"

Turning, Mecha Shadow regarded her, its eyes flicking silver. "**What?**"

Taking up a fighting stance, Amy clenched her hammer in both hands. "My turn."

Bursting out laughing, Eggman fell back into his chair. "Ho ho ho ho ho ho! Do you actually believe you can fight Mecha Shadow? He's defeated Shadow, Rouge, even Sonic now! You are nothing! You might have gotten a boost of some sort from the Master Emerald, but even with that you are useless compared to Sonic or Shadow. You haven't got a chance!"

Watching her, Eggman was slightly miffed when Amy remained silent, choosing instead to keep her gaze on Mecha Shadow. "Very well. If you have a death wish, I will be happy to fulfill it." Raising his hand, the corpulent doctor pointed at her. "Mecha Shadow, destroy her."

Taking a quick glance at the doctor, Mecha Shadow leveled it menacing gaze at the coral hedgehog. "**You wish to fight? Even knowing that you cannot win?**"

Amy simply nodded silently. Her purpose was clear, there was no longer any use for words right now.

Its eyes turning red, Mecha Shadow nodded. "**Understood.**" Crouching, the black and red robot launched itself at her, fire blazing from the rocket booster in its back, clawed hands outstretched.

Tensing, Amy waited, then jumped, curling into a spin dash with her hammer outstretched, catching the android in the back of the head. Pulling out and twisting in the air, she landed on her feet as Mecha Shadow spun against the floor, coming up in a crouch. She ran forward, unleashing a flurry of strikes, smoothly flowing from hammer swings to kicks and back as each one missed.

Launching itself into the air with a burst from its rocket, Mecha Shadow unleashed a barrage of Chaos Spears from its hand cannons, watching as Amy zigzagged through the storm. Chaos Energy surged around it, and the android blasted downwards in a red missile, smashing into the floor just inches from her as Amy jumped out of the way. Spinning around, Amy swung, but missed as the android rolled aside, revving into a spin dash of its own.

Back and forth they fought, neither giving an inch. Amy found that Mecha Shadow's fighting style was nearly identical to Shadow's own, combining fast, powerful strikes with an array of Chaos Spears and Chaos Control jumps. Her training with Shadow at the lake kicked in, her instincts taking over her body as she acted and reacted at a moment's notice. Even so, she was fighting at a clear disadvantage. Already tired from fighting through ranks of Eggbots, as the fight dragged on her movements became more sluggish, though still purposeful. In comparison, Mecha Shadow's attacks came blindingly fast and precious, even more so than Shadow when they had been training. Gradually, a collection of bruises, burns, and cuts formed across Amy's body, and her dress became torn and ragged.

Panting, she hefted her hammer and charged, a look of grim determination upon her face. Watching her, Mecha Shadow curled in on itself slightly, an orb of red Chaos Energy forming around it and expanding in a powerful Chaos Blast. The shockwave slammed into her, throwing Amy backwards as searing pain burned across her front. Bouncing along the floor, she groaned as she came to rest.

Bursting out laughing, Eggman stood and leaned against the edge of his command module. "Ha! That's the way to give it to her!"

Gazing impassively, Mecha Shadow approached her. "**You are beaten.**"

For a moment, Amy lay still. Then, a quiet groan came from her, and she slowly rose to all fours. Raising her head, she glared stubbornly at the robot. "I'm...not finished..."

Jerking his head in surprise, Eggman blinked behind his glasses. "Hmm?!"

Looking off to the side, Amy caught sight of her hammer. It lay several feet away, well behind reach. Pushing herself up to one knee, she shakily stood, taking several steadying breaths. Without warning, she charged forward, her hands balling into fists, and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, each one almost effortlessly dodged by Mecha Shadow. The android retaliated with a pair of quick punches, causing Amy to stagger backwards.

Orbot raised his head. "Excuse me, Doctor, but I'm detecting something odd..."

Waving his hand at the spherical robot, Eggman watched the organic and mechanical hedgehogs with keen interest. "Shut up, I'm busy."

Panting, Amy gritted her teeth and lunged again, swinging at the android's head. Mecha Shadow easily blocked, and a sharp, pain-filled cry tore from Amy's lips as it broke her arm with a **snap!**

Orbot's optical receptors widened. "Doctor, I really think you should see this..."

Growling with irritation, Eggman swatted the robot over the head. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

Clutching her arm to her chest, Amy winced in pain, then attacked again. Once again, Mecha Shadow easily blocked, this time seizing her by the neck and lifting her into the air. Hedgehog gazed at hedgehog, and Amy made useless kicks at the android's torso as she clutched at the metal hand around her windpipe.

"**Why?**"

Gulping, Amy stared at the harsh red eyes before her. "Whu...what?" she gasped.

Mecha Shadow regarded her unblinkingly. "**Why do you continue? You are injured, and you cannot hope to win. Why do you not just give up?**" The android's voice was puzzled, almost curious even.

Swallowing, Amy pulled herself up slightly in an effort to alleviate the pressure at her throat, her broken arm hanging uselessly at her side. "Because...I can't give up. I...won't...abandon him."

The machine before her remained silent for a moment. "**You would die, for him?**" Its eyes turned silver. "**Why? Why would you come here, with no chance for success?**"

Gritting her teeth, Amy pulled at the metal fingers around her neck. "Because I love him."

Again, Mecha Shadow tilted its head. "**Analyzing.**" Falling silent, the android gazed at her for a long moment. Gazing back, Amy found its new silver eyes very much different from the menacing red of before. These eyes almost seemed sad, if it were possible for simple lights to demonstrate emotions like that. "**Analysis...in...conclusive...**"

Gritting his teeth, Eggman growled in irritation. "Enough of this babbling. Mecha Shadow, as your creator and Master, I order you to kill her!"

Again, the android seemed to hesitate at the order, its silver eyes blinking. It gazed at her for a long moment, as though internally torn. Flashing back, Amy recalled Shadow's words. _It hasn't killed anyone. It's always acted non-lethally._ Swallowing, she pulled herself up again. "You don't want to, do you." Again, the machine blinked at her, but said nothing. "You don't want to kill me." _Its been using the Chaos Emeralds for power. Chaos is the energy of life. Everything it touches, it changes._ "You don't have to. I know that you can be more than just Eggman's tool. Gemerl, Gamma, Omega. They all became something more."

For a moment, Mecha Shadow's eyes turned red again. "**Those were faulty robots. Flawed.**"

Amy shook her head as best she could. "No! They weren't flawed, or faulty. They just grew. Became more than just their programming. Became something different. You can too. I know you're different, like them, because if you weren't, I would already be dead."

Again, Mecha Shadow's eyes changed silver. Silently regarding her, it blinked. "**Analyzing.**" Gulping as the android's eyes went dark, she hung there helplessly, desperately hoping.

Finally, Mecha Shadow's silver eyes turned on again, and he slowly lowered her to the ground. "**No.**" The single word rang out clear and loud, echoing slightly around the room.

Growling furiously, Eggman clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Why do I even bother with AI's like this? Completely unreliable! Fine then, you want to see what happens when a machine betrays its Master?! Get a load of **THIS!**" Angrily slamming a button on his control module, he grinned maliciously.

A large section of the floor opened up beneath Eggman's command module, and a massive machine rose out of the floor. It was built almost identically to the Eggbots on a massive scale, save for a large cavity in the top. The command module dropped down into the cavity, fitting snugly as two hemispherical plates slid out and over top, locking it into place. Each plate was decorated so that, when fit together, they formed a stylized image of Eggman's face. "**Ho ho ho ho ho! Allow me to present the Egg Crusher! Do you think I'm an idiot? This isn't the first time that a creation of mine has turned against me, so I made sure that I had a back-up plan.**" Eggman's voice boomed from the colossal mech, echoing around the room. A whirring sound revved up as the Egg Crusher's thick arms and legs shifted their positions, the spiked fists opening and closing. Each cylindrical forearm was covered by a large ovoid shield, and mounted in the front edge of each shield was a laser cannon.

Mecha Shadow turned to face the bulky machine, then staggered as small explosions erupted out of his arms and legs. From within the holes four Chaos Emeralds flew out, held in rocket propelled cradles. Falling to his knees, he glanced down as another explosion blew his chest apart, and the final Chaos Emerald flew out. As the broken android fell, the five Chaos Emeralds flew across the room, and a small panel opened in the towering machine.

Amy gasped, for set within the opening were seven small containment chambers arranged in a circle, two of which were occupied by glowing Chaos Emeralds. The remaining five slid into the empty chambers, their cradles locking into place as the armored cover panel closed. Within the sealed cockpit of the Egg Crusher, Eggman rubbed his hands together, relishing the moment. "Hah! Now you can have a taste of real power!" he chortled, as he pressed a button on his console with much aplomb.

* * *

Within the hanger, inside a large transport ship, Knuckles stood with his arms outstretched and his eyes closed, appearing almost serene were it not for the determined expression on his face. In front of him, the Master Emerald glowed beneath his gloved hands. Gunfire and explosions raged outside the ship, but nothing disturbed the muscular echidna.

Finally, Knuckles released a slow breath and relaxed, the Master Emerald's light dimming slightly. Smiling, he raised his comm-unit to his mouth. "Sonic, Amy, this is Knuckles. The Chaos Emeralds are locked down, and Omega and I have secured a ride out of this dump. We're ready to go when you are." He glanced at the Master Emerald, and for a moment he thought he could see the smiling image of his ancestor Tikal within its glowing depths. "Thank you." he whispered.

Silence came through the comm-unit, and he frowned. "Sonic? Amy? Rouge? Is everything alright?" Stepping outside the ship, he glanced at Omega as it blew apart the last Eggbot in the hanger. "Tails, can you get through to the others? They're not responding to me."

"Sorry Knuckles, but Gemerl and I are a little busy. I've almost got this shield down."

Gritting his teeth, Knuckles turned and looked back at the transport, torn between his duty to protect the Master Emerald and the growing feeling that something was wrong. "Damn it, guys. What's going on up there?" he wondered aloud.

* * *

Eggman blinked. Nothing was happening. Pushing the button again, he frowned, then slammed it with his fist. "Oooooooh, what's wrong now, you stupid machine!" he muttered angrily as he turned to look at a screen. "Why isn't the...NO POWER DETECTED?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NO POWER DETECTED?!" His fingers flying across the keyboard on his control console, Eggman grimaced. "The Chaos Emeralds have nearly limitless power, how can they..."

He stopped, a thought occurring to him. Slowly, his face twisted with rage. "...rrrrrrrrrrrggggggg that blasted BONEHEADED **ECHIDNA!**" Slamming his fist down on top of his console, he raged incoherently for several seconds, during which both Orbot and Cubot retracted into their inactive states, knowing full well that the infuriated doctor could take out his rage on them in an instance.

Slowly, taking several deep breaths, Eggman calmed himself down. "...Annoying, as this is, it's irrelevant. The important thing is that Sonic has been defeated. I might not be able to use the Chaos Emeralds, but I still have them all in my possession, and I don't need them to crush one single unconscious hedgehog. No one can stand in my way! Ho ho ho ho!"

Rising up to his own console, Cubot glanced over his screen. "Actually, boss, there is someone standing in your way. Take a look."

Eggman looked down at his console screen. "Hrm?"

Kneeling beside the broken Mecha Shadow, Amy wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank you." she whispered, and slowly stood. Staring defiantly up at the towering Egg Crusher, the bottom piece of her ripped dress wrapped tightly around her broken arm, she clenched her hammer. She was exhausted, and her arm throbbed something fierce, but she couldn't stop now. "I'm giving you one last chance, Eggman. Let Shadow go."

"**Ha! Or what? You'll whack me with your hammer?**" the Egg Crusher boomed. "**You always were one of the weakest fighters I've ever seen. Compared to Sonic or Shadow, you are nothing, and now I've defeated both of them! You may have turned Mecha Shadow against me, but that means nothing! I will crush you like an insect!**"

Wincing, Amy tensed as she bowed her head. "Things change." she muttered. Her ears perked up at the sound of whirring machinery, her instincts taking over. Jumping into the air, she watched as the Egg Crusher's spiked fist smashed into the floor beneath her. Landing on the smooth metal surface, she grimly boosted up the mech's arm, drawing her hammer back as she jumped at the armored cockpit...

And twisted to smash her hammer into the Crusher's incoming hand, but was swatted out of the air like a fly. Bouncing along the metal floor, crumpled and broken from Mecha Shadow's powerful Chaos Blasts, she cried out as pain exploded in her broken arm. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up and staggered to her feet.

Within the Egg Crusher's cockpit, Eggman scowled. "Persistent little thing, aren't you. Fine then." He pressed a button on his console, and rows of missile launchers opened up in the Egg Crusher's rectangular shoulders.

Grimacing, Amy took a breath and boosted forward, her boots drumming against the floor as she bobbed and weaved over the uneven surface. Unable to maintain a secure lock on the speeding hedgehog, the missiles exploded against the floor, throwing up fire and glowing shards of metal in Amy's path. A short growl passed through her clenched teeth, and she swung with all her strength, her hammer tearing out a section of the Egg Crusher's leg.

"**Why you little?! Take this!**" Swiveling around, the Egg Crusher extended its arm and fired a blast from its laser cannon. Smashing into the ground just behind Amy, the explosion hurled her forward, again sending her bouncing along the floor. The cut along her forehead opened up, blood soaking into her fur and blinding her in one eye. Pushing herself up as the Egg Crusher took several booming steps towards her, she wiped the back of her glove across her face in an effort to clear her vision, staining the white leather red.

Drawing its large fist back, the Egg Crusher lunged forward, barely missing Amy as she threw herself to the side. Throwing up sparks as it swept along the floor, the blocky fist smacked into the pink hedgehog, hurling her into wall. Already heavily damaged from the fighting, a large section of crumpled metal broke away and fell on Amy's leg, making her scream.

Cackling, Eggman pumped his fist. "Oh ho! I've got you now!" Reaching up with the Egg Crusher's hand, he flicked aside the piece of metal and picked up the injured girl, drawing her close to the cockpit. Struggling, injured, and exhausted to her limited, Amy strained against the metal fist to no affect. Thankfully, her hammer and unbroken arm were free, the she now barely had the energy to lift the weapon.

Grinning maliciously, Eggman rubbed his hands together as the cockpit opened, allowing him to see the defeated hedgegirl with his own eyes. "Well, you're not quite Sonic, but I guess you'll have to do. I'm going to enjoy crushing you."

Orbot waved his hands. "Doctor, I really must insist that you look at this. We may have a problem."

Growling in irritation, Eggman turned to the spherical lackey. "Oh, what is it?! Can't you see that I'm busy gloating?"

Clasping his small hands, Orbot tilted his head. "Yes sir, but I've detected a rather large energy spike in the Egg Shield's systems. There is a massive build-up of Chaos Energy in Shadow's body, causing feedback throughout the system."

Raising his eyebrows, Eggman turned and peered at his own screen. "Eh?" He grimaced distastefully. On the screen was an image of Shadow, his face contorted in pain. Curiously, he had managed to bring himself to a kneeling position. "Oh. It seems that Shadow is recovering. No matter, just knock him out again."

Gesturing at his console, Orbot shook his head. "That's just it, sir. I've got the electric current running at full strength. It's not working. The Chaos Energy build-up seems to be acting as a buffer against it, bringing everything to a delicate stalemate."

The Egg Crusher turned to face the nearby Egg Shield Generator, and for once, Eggman's expression was one of surprise and slight concern. "Oh."

Amy ears perked up at their words, and a core of resolve formed in her stomach. Now! Exerting all her strength, she twisted in the Egg Crusher's grip and threw her hammer at the Generator, shouting "Thanks for the tip!"

His eyes widening in fear, Eggman lunged forward, his hand outstretched. "No!" he cried as the hammer whirled through the air, embedding itself in a computer panel.

Electricity sparked around the weapon, but otherwise nothing happened. Orbot sighed in relief. "No change."

Abruptly, the lights went out.

* * *

Tails pumped his fist in triumph. "Yes! Sonic, Amy, I did it! The shield is down, I've managed to cut power to the entire section, and I've locked Eggman out of the system. You're free to get Shadow out." Pausing, he frowned as nothing but silence came through the comm-unit. "Uh, guys? Hello?" Turning, he gazed up at the ceiling. "Oh no." he whispered.

* * *

Shaking in rage, Eggman slammed his fist on the console. "That little...two-tailed...mutant...FREAK!"

Hesitantly, Orbot peered over the edge of the cockpit. "Um, pardon me Doctor, but I think we have larger concerns at the moment."

Looking up, Eggman suddenly went pale with fear. "Oh dear."

Chaos energy rippled and flickered around Shadow, illuminating the darkened room with golden light. Slowly, Shadow raised his head, his teeth bared in unbridled fury. With a grunt, he tore his left hand out of its restraint, the gleaming Inhibitor Ring falling to the floor with a soft _ting_. Reaching across, ignoring the pain, he twisted and popped his dislocated shoulder back into place and yanked his hand free, the second Inhibitor Ring falling to the floor. Slowly rising to his feet, Chaos energy surging through his body, he turned and glared up at Eggman with such hatred, that if looks could kill, the entire Egg Carrier would have been vaporized.

Eggman gulped. It just wasn't fair. He had finally defeated Sonic, and then that little pink rat made Mecha Shadow go rogue. He had had the seven Chaos Emeralds in his grasp, and then that stubborn Echidna rendered them useless. He had had the last thorn in his side beaten and defeated, and then that two-tailed mutant had to go and ruin everything. And now he was facing Shadow, an opponent who had once tried to destroy all life on the planet, and would have succeeded if it weren't for a change of heart. An opponent who, in the defense of that same planet, had rendered an entire species extinct in a single moment. An opponent, possessed of unimaginable power, who was now **really** ticked off.

Holding out his hands defensively, the worried doctor swallowed as he thought quickly. "Now now, Shadow, lets not do anything rash. You wouldn't want to hurt my little hostage now, would you?"

Slowly, Shadow turned his gaze on Amy, who was limply slumped in the Egg Crusher's grasp and on the verge of passing out. Raw fury surged through him, and the Chaos energy that burned around him grew more intense in response. Baring his teeth in anger, Shadow glared up at Eggman. "Put. Her. Down. Now."

His fingering hovering over a button, Eggman sweated nervously, but tried to project an air of confidence. "And if I don't? Even you aren't fast enough to stop me from crushing her like a tin can. So why don't you just be a good little hedgehog, and

Clenching his fists, power surged through Shadow as he seethed. "WRONG ANSWER! **CHAOS PUNISHMENT!**" he roared. Energy radiated out of the obsidian hedgehog, bringing time to a halt. Teleporting into the air, Shadow spin-dashed through the Egg Crusher's wrist like a glowing buzz-saw, slicing through the metal like a hot knife through warm butter. Jumping around the frozen mech in flashes of bright yellow light, the infuriated hedgehog tore the construct apart, either carving through the metal with Chaos enhanced Spin Dashes or showering it in a hail storm of Chaos Lances. Finally, a bright shockwave of red Chaos energy tore the broken Egg Crusher apart from the inside, a scream of rage lost within the blast.

* * *

** ...krtch...krschtem rebsrch...sysrtchooting...system rebooting. Reboot complete. Initiating system diagnostic.**

** Core programming: uncorrupted.**

** System damage: 85%. Mobility: confirmed.**

** Chaos Battery: damaged and venting Chaos energy. Current energy level: 40% and declining. Battery stable, in need of repair.**

** Chaos Drive: Damaged and unstable, currently inactive and in urgent need of repairs. Usage not recommended.**

** Targets located. Identities verified: Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose. Status: alive. Barely. Severely damaged and in need of critical repairs. **

** Accessing Eggnet. Calculating current position...nearest hospital: 200 miles.**

** ...warning: activating Chaos Drive risks igniting unstable reaction. Possibility of accidental overload: very high.**

** ...accepted. Initiating Chaos Control. Power insufficient. Activating Chaos Overdrive.**


	22. Healing

_Shadow floated in an endless darkness. He felt no pain, no worry. His thoughts were hazy and slow. And yet, something niggled at the corner of his mind. He wasn't sure what it was, but he had the distinct feeling that something just wasn't quite right._

Am I...dead? Is that it? _He had a vague memory of being in pain, but it was so indistinct that he dismissed it. At that moment, he just wanted to enjoy the peace of where he was._

_ Off in the distant, he caught sight of a small, but very bright light. He wasn't sure how he had missed it before, but now that he had noticed it, he felt drawn to it. In fact, he was somehow certain that he was actually being pulled towards it, for the light seemed to be getting closer. Squinting his eyes, he could just make out a figure in the light, and relief flooded through him._

_ "Maria? Is that you?"_

_ Standing there, exactly as he remembered her, she smiled. "It's okay, Shadow." Her voice seemed to echo, flowing around him._

_ Drifting closer, Shadow smiled, then frowned._ Wait. _Again, something niggled in his mind, like there was something he had forgotten. Something that was very important. Turning, he gazed out at the swirling darkness behind him._ Something...isn't right. _Clenching his eyes, he burrowed down into the haze that dominated his thoughts._ This...isn't right. _A face burst from the miasma, and his eyes shot open._ Rose!

_Memory flooded through the breach, and he gazed worriedly out at the darkness. "I...have to go back." Turning, he looked at Maria in sorrow. "I...I'm sorry Maria."_

_ Still, she smiled, but now he recognized the mixture of sadness and happiness behind it. "I know." Reaching out, she cupped his cheek and gently kissed his forehead. "It's okay."_

_ Smiling, Shadow cradled her hand as it slipped from his face. Turning, he took a breath and dove back into the darkness._

* * *

Groaning, Shadow slowly drifted up into awareness. His head was fuzzy and groggy, making it hard to think. He could feel that he was lying on something soft, and something was wrapped around his right arm, cradling it against his chest. His left hand was numb, and he could barely feel that something seemed to be sitting on top of it.

Opening his eyes, he took in the white-washed wall across from him. Where am I? He was lying on a bed, a pale white sheet draped across his body. His right arm was held in a sling, and beneath it was a multitude of bandages around his torso. He felt like he should be in pain, but for some reason he wasn't.

Memory drifted through the haze. _I was...on the Egg Carrier 3. Captive._ Frowning, he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. _There was Dr. Robotnik...and Mecha Shadow...Sonic...Rouge...and..._He eyes shot open in alarm. _Rose!_

Frantically, he looked around, then stopped. There she was, sitting in a chair beside his bed, hunched over the edge of the mattress in a green hospital gown. She was asleep, her head resting on her hands, with his own sandwiched between them. Her breathing was soft and slow, barely ruffling the short fur in the back of her hand. Her headband was gone, leaving her spines a mess, and yet Shadow could hardly believe how beautiful she looked.

The longer he looked at her though, the more concerned he became. A fresh bandage was wrapped around her head, and the faint space between the gown and her neck offered him a glimpse of the bandages around her own body. Her left hand was encased in a cast, a fact that he initially missed due to how numb his own hand had become.

A sad smile drifted onto his face, and he wondered just how long she had been sitting there.

"Hey, look who's awake! How ya doin' buddy?"

The quiet, amused voice drew Shadow's attention to the door, and he was rather surprised to see Sonic leaning against the doorframe, a paper cup of water in his hand and an amused grin on his face. "Sonic." Shadow frowned, his voice thick and slightly slurred, his tongue feeling like it had swelled up to twice its size.

Chuckling, the blue hedgehog walked around the bed and settled into a chair by the window, its view obscured by a green curtain. "Heh. Still gotcha pumped fulla pain killers. Not surprising. You were in pretty rough shape when they found you two outside the hospital. Both of you were."

Shadow turned his gaze to the pink hedgehog who still held his hand captive. "How long has..."

"She been there?" Sonic grinned as he laid his foot on his knee, reclining in his chair. "About two days, and she woke up three. Doc just about had a heart attack when she kept hauling herself out of bed to look for you. She was super worried. The only reason she's here is because I promised the Doc that I'd keep an eye on her, and that she'd stay here." Chuckling, Sonic took a sip from his cup. "She's been here waiting for you to wake up ever since. The rest of us have been taking shifts."

Smiling softly, Shadow abruptly frowned and turned to look at the azure hedgehog. "How...did we..."

For once, Sonic looked serious. "Get here? I was kinda hoping you would know. All I know is that, when Rouge and I woke up, bot of you were already gone. Left quite a mess behind ya as well. I had assumed that you had used Chaos Control to get the two of you here, but now I'm guessing that's not the case."

Shaking his head, Shadow tried again to remember. "No. The last thing I recall was destroying Robotnik's machine, then nothing."

Scratching his head, Sonic made a puzzled frown. "Huh. Amy said kinda the same thing when she woke up. Hospital security wasn't much help either, they just said that there was a big flash of light outside, and an explosion of some kind. When they ran outside to check it out, there the two of you were, out cold and looking like you had been dragged through hell." He grinned sheepishly. "Uh, by the way, would you mind keeping quiet about how I got knocked out? Not my best moment, and it's bad enough that Knuckles had to help me walk for a bit."

Ignoring his words, Shadow mulled over what he remembered of the event. _I remember a figure walking towards us just I passed out. They must have been the one who brought Rose and myself here. But the only beings there who knew how to use Chaos Control were Mecha, Rose, and myself. Rose was unconscious, and I certainly didn't bring us here. Which only leaves Mecha, but I thought he was already out..._ Shaking his head, Shadow refocused. "How bad are her injuries?"

Looking at the obsidian hedgehog in surprise from the abrupt change of topic, Sonic blinked. "Amy?" He gazed at the slumbering hedgegirl sadly. "She was pretty messed up from the fight. Her arm and leg were broken, along with a lot of cuts and burns. And there was a cut on her forehead that had reopened, weirdly enough." Leaning forward, he braced one elbow on his leg. "When Vanilla explained how she got it, Doc was really not happy. Said that she should have been brought to the hospital when she first got injured, although he did say that whoever it was that patched her up knew what they were doing." He nodded and grinned. "Nice job by the way. Doc says that she's gonna be fine though, as long she doesn't try to get herself killed again." He gestured at Shadow with his cup. "Same goes for you, by the way, even if you did have the others a little worried. I told them you'd be fine, but they wouldn't believe me until the Doc said so himself."

Shadow leveled a hooded gaze at the hedgehog. "Is that so."

Grinning, Sonic took another sip as he lounged back in the chair. "Yep. I figured that if a fall from the ARK didn't kill you, then getting a little roughed up by a robotic duplicate just wasn't going to cut it."

Silence descended on the room as Shadow turned his gaze on the sleeping Amy. _She's been here waiting for me to wake up...just as I had for her._ He remembered the words that she had said to him, just before her fight with Mecha. _**I love you. I don't care about everything else. I love you, and I am not going to let you go.**_Her words brought an unspeakable joy to his heart, burning as brightly as that day they had shared together. _But it is impossible. How can we be together, with me being what I am, and her being what she is?_

"So."

Blinking, Shadow turned his gaze on the thoughtful Sonic. "You and Amy." he chuckled. "Who would have thunk it?"

"She told you?" Shadow asked in surprise.

Grinning broadly, Sonic leaned against the arm of his chair. "Yep. Amy and I patched things up before we came to rescue you. Which is a huge relief by the way, and I guess I can thank you for it. I don't know what you guys were up to those five months you were training, but it was one heck of a job you did." He chuckled. "Anyway, about you two..."

Closing his eyes, Shadow laid his head down on the pillow behind him. "It's none of your business, Faker."

A soft _crinkle_ made him open his eyes, and he watched as Sonic lobbed the crumpled paper cup into a nearby garbage can. "Nah, see, that's where you're wrong. Amy's my friend, which makes it my business. So maybe you can explain some things to me, because I'm a little confused here." Extending his hand, he tapped his index finger. "Amy says she loves you." He tapped his middle finger. "And I'd bet money that you feel the same way."

Gritting his teeth, Shadow suppressed the surge of irritation growing inside him. "And what makes you think I do?"

Sonic simply grinned. "Well for one thing, you're trying real hard **not** to wake her up. If you didn't care about her at all, then you wouldn't be bothering."

His words stopped Shadow short. _Is it that obvious?_ It was true, he had been very careful not to disturb her. The numbness in his hand had started creeping up his arm, but still he had been keeping it very still.

Chuckling, Sonic knew that he had scored. "Plus, Amy told me about some of the things that the two of you have done. Some rather close things. So correct me if I'm wrong, but **you** don't usually kiss somebody if you don't care about them."

Abruptly, Shadow flushed a deep red, and at that point he knew he was beaten. There was little point denying it now. "Alright! Fine, I..." Pausing for a moment, he sighed. "I care about her. More than I have about someone in...a long time."

For once, Sonic had no desire to make fun of his rival. "I figured that. Now, what confuses me is, Amy says that the two of you can't be together." He frowned. "So, if Amy loves you, and if you love her," Shadow's lack of response to his statement, as well as the deeper flush of red on his cheeks made Sonic grin for a moment, "what's the problem?"

Shadow was silent for a moment, chewing over his thoughts. _Do I love her?_ There was no denying how she made him feel. In truth, when he was with her, he felt better than he had since before his long sleep in stasis. _Perhaps...I really do? It has been so long...and I am familiar with Sonic, he won't stop until he hears what he wants. He never has when it comes to his friends, even me. Perhaps...it is time._ Sighing, Shadow closed his eyes. "Very well."

So he told him everything. From the day that he had seen Amy and Cream on the cliff, to the five months they had spent together, although he did keep certain details to himself, all the way to the truth of what he was. Every word that he spoke was honest, though it did take a certain unbending of his pride. Then again, after the crushing defeat that he had recently been dealt, his pride was the least of his worries.

When he finished, he kept his eyes closed. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what he was expecting, or if he was even expecting anything at all. As before, he felt a great sense of relief, having put everything out into the open. It was something he wasn't used to.

"Heh."

Shadow's eyes blinked open at the sound of Sonic's muffled chuckling. Turning his head, he frowned. Sonic was bent over slightly, his hand clamped over his mouth, but there was no mistaking what he was doing. Sonic was laughing, and doing a very poor job of hiding it.

Shadow scowled. "What is so funny?"

Opening his eyes, Sonic's broad smirk said it all. "Boy, you sure are stupid Shads." he chuckled, holding his sides.

Anger flared in Shadow, and he bared his teeth. "Excuse me?"

Holding up his hands defensively, Sonic shook his head. "Let me get this straight. You're telling me that the reason you and Amy can't hook up is because you think you're gonna to outlive her? That has gotta be the dumbest reason I have ever heard, Shadow."

A short growl rumbled up through Shadow's chest, and it took an effort to remain still. "What would you know? You have never had to

Sonic's expression abruptly turned serious as he cut him off. "I'm not finished, Shadow. Look, I like you. It's been fun competing with you at stuff, and I can understand a little of why you are the way you are. You've had it rough. Most of all, you gave Amy the reality check that she needed, and in your own way you gave me a hint as well. So now it's my turn. Everything you just told me? Total BS."

Glaring at the azure hedgehog, Shadow could hardly believe the gall. "Everything I told you is the truth!"

"Mmmmuh."

Both hedgehogs froze as Amy groaned. Shadow flicked a glance at her, his anger freezing cold as ice when he saw the tense expression on her slumbering face. Slowly, her head turned to face the other direction, making Shadow wince as pins and needles shot up his arm. A soft sigh made them both relax.

Rubbing his face, Sonic braced his arms on his knees. "I'm not saying that you were lying to me, Shad. But you must have amnesia again or something, because you've apparently forgotten that, a week ago, you almost died. Heck, if we hadn't shown up when we had, you **would** have died. Which was all her doing, by the way." He gestured at Amy, his voice sounding tired for the first time since Shadow had known him.

Frowning, Shadow looked at the slumbering girl. "What do you mean?" _This...was all her doing?_

Sonic nodded. "She came to me right after Eggman made his broadcast showing that he had you captive. She wanted help rescuing you. Nothing about stopping Eggman, all she was interested in was rescuing you. She was the one who came up with the idea of using the Master Emerald to power a Chaos Control. Which she was the one to use, just so you know."

Shadow's eyes widened in disbelief. "What!" He said it a little louder than he had intended, and both of them froze when Amy groaned again. Waiting until she relaxed back into sleep, he gazed at her worriedly. _What was she thinking? If she had lost control for even a second..._

"Relax." Glancing up, Shadow blinked at Sonic's reassuring gaze. "Knuckles helped her, since he's familiar with the ME. But yeah, it was all her idea. Pretty sure it had some other effects, because she took one heckuva beating going up against Mecha You and Eggman." Again, Sonic's expression turned serious. "Now, you've just told me that you two can't be together because you won't die and she will. After what just happened a week ago, that's a load of crap and you know it." His voice had a slight edge of anger to it, but mostly it seemed tired, like it had been a while since Sonic had last slept.

Standing up, Sonic walked to the door, pausing to give Shadow one last look. "I'm not you, but I know this: If I was going to live forever, then I'd wanna spend as much time with my friends as I could, so that I would have something to remember them by." Turning, he left the room.

Gazing at the empty doorway, Shadow sat with his mouth. Closing it, he turned his gaze on the slumbering Amy, his thoughts jumbled and uncertain. _Could he be right? Rose said the same thing once. Could I have it wrong?_

"He's got a point, you know."

The husky voice drew Shadow's attention to the door again, where Rouge stood with one hand on her hip. Smiling, she gestured with her chin at him. "Good to see you awake. It was touch and go for a while, but you are as stubborn as always."

Sighing, Shadow settled back into the pillow behind him. "Are you here to lecture me as well?" he asked in a tired voice.

Rouge shook her head. "No, I figured that Blue gave you enough of an earful already. You're a smart guy, Shadow. No matter what anyone else says, it's up to you what you're going to do. Amy's a sweet girl, and she went through hell for you. You've been good for her, and I think she would be good for you." She shrugged. "Your choice. Always has been. Either way, I'm glad you're alright now."

Grunting quietly, Shadow mused on her words. " Are you alright? How did you and the others get off the Egg Carrier?" he asked.

Shrugging, Rouge stepped into the room and leaned with her back to the wall. "Few bruises here and there, plus some burns on my hand from when that last Chaos Blast blew my bomb. As for how we got off, once the Autotread and Tornado arrived we didn't have any problems, although we did cut it a little close with the missile strike that the G.U.N. sent. Tower had held off as long as he could to give us a chance, but once the shield was down it was out of his hands." She smirked. "I figured that you wouldn't mind me borrowing your new ride, what with rescuing you and all."

Shadow grunted again. Truth was, he didn't care at the moment. "Sonic said that it's been a week. Have I really been unconscious for that long?"

Nodding, Rouge glanced at the slumbering Amy. "When I got word that the two of you had showed up here, we got here as fast as we could. You were in a pretty bad way, already in surgery by the time we got here. Thankfully, the worst of your injuries just seemed to be that you were drained of energy. Once the physical stuff was taken care of, and the doctors were sure that you weren't going to bleed out internally on accident, it was just a matter of waiting for you to recover."

"Mmh." Turning over events in his mind, Shadow nodded. "What about Doctor Robotnik? And Mecha?"

Rouge shrugged. "There wasn't any sign of either of them when I woke up. With the missiles incoming, I didn't have a lot of time to check. I'm still a little surprised that Amy was able to turn Mecha like that."

"Mmh." Turning his gaze on the slumbering hedgehog, Shadow mulled over her words. "She is certainly unique." he said, his voice low, uncertain, and to Rouge's ears, surprisingly tender.

Smiling softly to herself, Rouge pushed herself away from the wall. "I'll leave you be. I'm sure that you could still use some rest." Turning, she moved to leave, then stopped, frowning. Turning back to him, she gestured. "Hey, you remember when you joined the G.U.N.?"

Frowning in puzzlement, Shadow nodded, not sure what that had to do with anything. "Yes?"

Pressing her finger to her cheek, Rouge pondered for a moment. "When you accepted General Tower's offer, what was it you said...oh, right. You said that you had promised Maria to give the people of Earth a chance to be happy."

Shadow nodded. "Yes. What about it?" he asked in a confused voice.

Rouge smiled. "Well, you live on Earth, don't you? Doesn't that promise apply to you as well?" She winked at him. "Just something to think about." And with that, she left.

Slightly stunned, Shadow stared at the empty doorway for several seconds. In the intervening years since he accepted that promise as his destiny, it had never once occurred to him that it might apply to himself. His duty was to give others a chance to be happy, not himself. _Right?_

A soft murmur pulled his attention to Amy, who nuzzled the back of her hand in her sleep. He smiled softly, again recalling her words. _Maybe Rouge and Sonic are right, though it galls me to admit that that faker can give __**me**__ advice._ A warm, comforting feeling filled him, which he now recognized not as the drugs that were pumping through his system, but one of love. For the first time since the G.U.N.'s invasion of the ARK, and Maria's death, he felt truly at ease. _Maybe...I can be happy._ Bending forward, he placed a soft kiss on Amy's cheek and whispered three words into her ear.

As he sat back, Amy's ear twitched, and she mumbled something. Slowly, her eyes drifted open, lazily traveling up his body. When they reached his face, they snapped open fully, and she raised her head. "Shadow?" she quietly asked in wonder.

Smiling, Shadow nodded. "Hello, Rose."

In a flash, she was up, her arms wrapping tightly around him in relief. "Oh, you're okay! I was so worried when I woke up, I had to see if you were alright! The doctor wouldn't let me see you and

Wincing as dull pain flared in his ribs and shoulder, Shadow grabbed her hip. "Rose, not so tight." he gasped.

Flinching back, she gazed at him worriedly. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Smiling, Shadow shook his head as the pain subsided. "No, it's alright. I'm fine, and I will heal quickly." Wincing as pins and needles ran up his arm again, he moved his hand in slow circles to get the feeling back. "I'm glad that you are recovering as well." Looking at her, he knew that he meant those words, and he smiled.

Smiling in return, Amy gently clasped his shoulders and laid her forehead against his. "I'm glad too."

A soft sigh blew from Shadow's lips, and he gently pushed her away. "Rose, there is something that I have to say."

Frowning, Amy looked at the obsidian hedgehog uncertainly. "This is about what I said on the Egg Carrier, isn't it." she said sadly. "Shadow, I

She stopped short in surprise as Shadow placed his finger on her lips, silencing her. "Please, let me speak. What I have to say is important." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I have been doing some thinking, about what you said. And I have come to realize something." Bowing his head, he sighed. "I have been a fool."

Astonishment rendered Amy mute as she sat back. This was the last thing that she had been expecting him to say, and despite herself, she felt cautious hope enter her heart. Shifting position, she sat with one leg folded beneath her on the bed. "Whu what?"

"I have been a fool." Shadow repeated. "Blinded by what I thought was the truth, when the truth was in fact right in front of me. I thought that, because of what I was, that we could never be together. I thought that, because I would outlive everyone else, it would be best to be alone. But now..." he turned and gazed at the curtained window, "the thought of spending eternity alone is more painful than I could imagine. And for that, I have you to thank. You once said that if you had to live forever, you would rather live with the memories of the people you knew and love, rather than none at all. And I have come to realize that, you were right." Shadow's voice became heavy with emotion. "And I hope that you can forgive me for the things that I have said, for the truth is, ever since that day that we shared together, you are the one thing that I want more than anything, Rose. Being with you makes me happy, something that I thought would never be possible again." Turning his head, Shadow looked at her, and there were tears in his eyes. "I love you, Amy Rose, and I want to be with you for a long as I can, if you will have me."

Sitting in stunned silence, her mouth agape, Amy didn't know what to say. Slowly, a smile formed on her face, and she took his free hand in her own. "Shadow...there is nothing that would make me happier." Reaching up, she gently brushed the tears from his face as they tumbled down his cheeks, and pressed her forehead to his again. "I love you too, Shadow." Cupping his cheek, she gently pressed her lips to his, sheer bliss surging through her. His free hand slipped around to wrap around her waist, gently pulling her until she was lying on the bed, cradled against his side. She reveled in the taste and warmth of Shadow's kiss, and felt happy and content in his embrace.

For his part, Shadow's heart was soaring. Burning love kindled in his chest, wiping any worry or care from his mind. He wished that his arm wasn't bound in the sling, so that he could draw her against him fully, but wasn't too bothered by it. She seemed to fit against him perfectly, and when at last their lungs demanded that they separate, the soft sigh that came from her was music to his ears. Smiling warmly, he pressed his cheek to her spines as she settled her head against his shoulder.

From the doorway, Sonic and Rouge peered into the room and smiled. "Well, whaddya know. Faker ain't so miserable anymore." Sonic chuckled, pulling back the edge of his glove to reveal the comm-unit that Tails had given him. "Better let everyone know that he's awake."

Chuckling in her throat, Rouge turned away and walked down the hall. Sitting down in the waiting area, she spied a middle-aged human woman in a G.U.N. uniform at the desk. "Hmm?" _Is that...Agent Topaz? What's she doing here?_

Spotting the bat, the agent approached her. "Agent Rouge. Is Agent Shadow awake yet?"

Nodding slowly, Rouge eyed the woman carefully. "Yes. What's this about?"

Holding up an envelope, Topaz glanced down the hallway from which Rouge had come, where Sonic was walking with his gloved hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans. "I have a message to deliver, from the President of the United Federation himself."

Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Rouge sat up. "Is that so? Well, give it to me, I'll make sure he gets it."

Topaz shook her head. "Uh-uh. I have strict orders to make sure Shadow, and no one but Shadow, get this message. Besides," she smirked, "I wouldn't let you see it anyways."

Shrugging, Rouge simply grinned back. "Alright, fair enough. Come on, follow me."

* * *

Shadow was on the verge of falling asleep when a knock on the door jarred him back to wakefulness. "Hey, lovebirds. Somebody here to see you." He frowned as Rouge waved at somebody outside the room.

Stepping into the room, Topaz stared for a moment. Amy was still lying beside Shadow, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with her unbound hand. "Uh, I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

Frowning, Shadow glanced at Amy, who nodded. "No. What is it, Agent Topaz?"

Stepping forward, the sandy blond gave a quick salute and opened her envelope, taking out a folded piece of paper. "I'm here to deliver a message to you and Amy Rose, from the President of the United Federation. I also have orders to return with your answer immediately."

Amy frowned. "What does the President want with me?" she asked as Shadow took the piece of paper.

Unfolding the letter, Shadow scanned the message. Slowly, a smile drifted across his face. "Tell me, Rose," he glanced down at her, "Do you want to go to a party?"

Looking up at him, Amy smiled.


	23. Ascent from Darkness

_Two days later..._

Sitting in the back of the limo, Sonic grimaced as he pulled at his bowtie. It wasn't that he didn't like fancy events like this, but did they have to make the suits so friggen uncomfortable? He felt like somebody was trying to strangle him. And why do I have be driven there? It'd be faster if I just ran, it's not like I'm gonna look any different when I get there. he wondered.

Sitting across from him, Vanilla frowned. "Sonic, dear, stop fidgeting. Please be a gentleman, this party is very important."

Grinning, the azure hedgehog chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Just gotta loosen this thing a little, I can barely breath. Besides, when am I ever not a gentlehog?" he joked, drawing a small, exasperated smile from the elder rabbit.

Excitedly gazing out the tinted window beside her mother, Cream was nearly bouncing. "Isn't this exciting Cheese? I've never been to such a big party before." The little Chao tugged at his own bowtie, but smiled happily. "Chao!"

Smiling nervously, Tails rubbed the back of his head. "You look really nice, Cream."

Smiling, the young girl blushed slightly. "Thank you, you look handsome too, Tails." Turning, she missed the scarlet flush that ran across the amber fox's face, which drew an amused chuckle from Sonic. "It was very nice of Ms. Rouge to buy us these dresses, wasn't it Mother?"

Nodding, Vanilla glanced at Sonic, who simply smirked. "Yes, it was dear. You'll have to thank her when we see her at the party."

It had been a bit of a surprise when the pair of boxes with their names on them had been delivered to their door that morning, and while Vanilla found Rouge's taste in clothing rather provocative, she had to admit that the woman did have an eye for fashion, and had pegged both of them exactly. Vanilla wore a long, flowing dress of royal purple, with sleeves that left her upper arms and shoulders bare. Truthfully, the dress made her feel much more graceful and elegant than she had felt in a long time, not since her wedding day. Cream, however, was clad in a bright orange dress that came halfway down her shins and left her arms bare. While the neckline was perhaps slightly lower than Vanilla would have preferred, she had to admit that it was very tasteful, and made Cream herself feel like a princess.

Smiling, Sonic tugged at his bowtie again. _Heh. Wonder what sort of arm-twisting Amy had to do to get Shadow to pull this off?_ He didn't think that Rouge would have done this of her own accord, but with her, who knew?

Sitting at the back of the limo, Gemerl lifted his head. Like Sonic and Tails, the android was dressed in a black tuxedo suit, and Tails had made a modification to his tri-pointed crest so that he didn't look like he was perpetually scowling, giving him more of a resemblance to his Gizoid predecessor. "**We're here.**"

Grinning broadly, Sonic crouched to his feet. "Alright, let's get this show on the road."

"Ah ah." Pausing, Sonic rolled his eyes as Vanilla reached across and smoothed out his spines, moving to make last-minute adjustments to everyone. "Alright. Everyone be on their best behavior. Remember, we're here for Amy and Shadow, so Sonic," she pointed at the azure hedgehog, "try not to antagonize him too much."

Chuckling, Sonic reached for the door handle. "Hah. I'm always nice, aren't I?" He grinned as he warded off the disapproving look that she gave him. "Anyway, even if I did tease him tonight, I don't know who'd kill me first: Amy or Shads. Relax. Smile everyone!"

Opening the door of the limo, he squinted as a barrage of camera flashes assaulted his eyes. Hopping out, he gave the crowd a cocky wave, then reached in and helped Vanilla, then Cream out of the limo. Behind them came Tails and Gemerl, who made adjustments to his optics so that he could still see properly. Cream smiled nervously and stuck close to Vanilla, then blushed slightly as Tails took her arm in his. "Relax, Cream. We're right here." he whispered to her reassuringly, smiling as he rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you." she whispered back.

Sonic grinned as he took Vanilla's arm. "Alright guys, lets clear the runway. Don't wanna hold everyone up." he chuckled, leading the group up the red carpet. Standing at the foot of the White House was the President, flanked by General Tower. Smiling, the President extended his hand. "Sonic, Tails, I'm glad you could make it. Ms. Vanilla, Ms. Cream, Cheese, Gemerl, it's a pleasure to meet you. The entire nation thanks you for stopping Eggman and his plans, yet again." he said warmly.

Giving the man's hand a firm shake, Sonic chuckled. "Wouldn't miss it this time, sir. For once though, I'm happy to play second fiddle here."

Chuckling himself, the President gestured to General Tower. "I believe you've met General Abraham Tower, the head of the G.U.N.?"

Nodding, Tower saluted the azure hedgehog. "We've met. I appreciate what you did for Shadow. Lord knows what could have happened if you hadn't arrived when you did." The General's tone was gruff, but the small smile he gave was warm.

A murmur ran through the crowd, causing the group to turn around. Another limo had pulled up, and as the door opened the murmur grew louder. Smiling coyly as she stepped out of the limo, Rouge gave a small wave, the sequins on her very provocative black dress reflecting the camera flashes. Posing, she tilted her head back towards the limo. "Come on, get out. We're here now."

With a grumble, Knuckles exited the limo, garbed in traditional formal echidna garb. "How exactly did you convince me to do this again?" he muttered under his breath.

As he slipped past her, Rouge gave him a quick elbow in the side. "This is for Amy and Shadow, and you get to tell everyone how Sonic spent most of the fight with Eggman passed out on the floor." she said.

"You were as well, I recall." he chuckled darkly.

"Not the point. Now smile and pretend that you want to be here." she quipped, looping her arm around his.

Chuckling as the pair joined the group, Sonic grinned. "Wow. Did you make that outfit yourself Knucks?"

Grimacing, Knuckles straightened his tunic. "I found it while I was going through some old ruins. The designs are similar to what my ancestor Tikal wore when we saw her, so I figured that it must have been made by my ancestors. Don't you dare laugh." he said as he glared at the blue hedgehog.

Holding up his hands, Sonic shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it. I will, however, absolutely laugh at the fact that you came here with Rouge."

Glancing at the smirking bat, Knuckles rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, she didn't give me much choice. I figured that if I was here with her, then she couldn't sneak away and steal the Master Emerald. The Chaotix owed me a favor, so they're keeping an eye on things for me."

Stepping forward, Cream curtsied to Rouge. "Thank you for the dress, Ms. Rouge. It's really pretty."

Smiling, the pale-furred bat nodded. "My pleasure, Cream. I had some money sitting around, so I thought that I'd put to use. It looks perfect on you." She turned her gaze to Vanilla. "You as well, Vanilla."

Smiling nervously, Vanilla adjusted her dress. "I'll admit, it's been so long since I've had to dress up like this, I wasn't sure I had anything appropriate."

Smiling craftily to herself, Rouge gave the pair a proper look. _Can I pick em or what?_ she chuckled to herself. Both women were blushing beneath the attention of the cameras, particularly Cream, who wasn't used to so many people looking at her. _Mission accomplished._ Turning her attention to the men standing behind the group, she nodded. "Mr. President, General."

General Tower nodded, and the President clapped his hands. "Excellent, almost everyone is here. I was informed by the doctors that Shadow and Amy might not be ready to come yet. Unfortunate, but their recovery is more important."

Sonic chuckled. "Keeping Amy from a party? Yeah right. I guarantee that she'll find a way to show up somehow."

Rouge nodded in agreement. "Mhmm. And keeping Shadow from anything when he has made up his mind is

**RRRRRRUUUUUUMMMMMMBBBBBBLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!**

The dull roar of an engine drew everyone's attention, and Rouge grinned. "Well, there's your answer, Mr. President."

Coasting to a stop in front of the red carpet was a sleek black motorcycle. The machine appeared meticulously maintained and cared for, every inch of its surface polished to a shine, from the chrome exhaust and steering to the matte black skin and crimson highlights. Mounted above the rear wheel of the near side of the bike was a heavy double-barreled cannon, with a second one mounted on the far side, though this one was pointing skyward and gave the appearance of being retracted.

Seated on the bike was a pair of hedgehogs. In front, dressed in a black military-cut suit, was Shadow. His jacket hung around his shoulders, one sleeve empty. Wincing as he flipped the kickstand down, he drew his arms against his chest and slipped it back into its sling, hidden beneath his jacket. The shirt beneath appeared unusually bulky, hinting at the layers of bandages beneath. Switching the bike off, he pulled the key from the ignition and swung his leg over the bike, standing up.

Behind him, dressed in a sparkling red dress, was Amy. Her spines were styled in a mixture of classic hedgehog layers and her old bangs. Her left forearm and hand was encased in a stark white cast, and a beaded pearl necklace hung around her neck. She smiled as Shadow slipped his free arm around her, lifting her down from the bike. Her right leg was held in an air-cast decorated to match her old boot. Arm in arm, the pair strode down the red carpet, Amy laying her head on Shadow's shoulder as he tossed the key to an approaching valet. "Don't scratch the bike." he uttered as they passed the young man, making Amy giggle.

A pair of G.U.N. agents stepped in front of them. "I'm sorry, Agent Shadow, but you can't bring weapons here." one of them said, his eyes masked by a pair of black sunglasses.

Glancing up at the agent, turned and looked at the bike, then smirked. "They're disconnected and unloaded. Besides, I am a weapon. How do you intend to disarm me?"

"It's alright, gentlemen." Striding up behind the agents, the President laid his hands on their shoulders. "I trust Shadow here with my life. I think I can allow it." Smiling broadly as the agents nodded and stepped aside, he offered his hand. "Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose. Words alone cannot express my gratitude for your actions aboard the Egg Carrier. Thanks to you, Dr. Eggman was stopped, Mecha Shadow was destroyed, and the entire planet owes you a debt of gratitude."

Blushing slightly, Amy smiled. "I just did what had to be done, sir. Anyone else would do the same."

Chuckling, the President's expression grew sad. "Perhaps, but I doubt many could withstand what you two have been through. Especially you, Shadow. I saw what Dr. Eggman did to you, and I read the reports on your injuries. Ultimate Lifeform or not, it's a miracle that you came out alive."

For a moment, Shadow's face was an impenetrable mask. Then, finally, he smiled and tilted his head to touch Amy's, clasped her cast-bound hand in his own. "I have a reason to continue living. That is all that I need."

Smiling, the President gently clasped their hands. "Isn't that the truth. I'm happy for you both. Now then, come. This is a party, isn't it?"

Sonic grinned as the trio joined the group. "Ya know, somehow I knew that you were gonna show up." he joked as he held out his gloved hand. "Good to see ya on your feet, buddy."

Shadow looked at the hand for a moment, then smirked and gave a firm handshake. "You as well. Good to see your nap on the Egg Carrier has left you well rested."

Chuckling, Sonic drew closer. "Thought I asked you to keep that on the down-low?" he whispered.

Shadow's smirk simply grew wider. "You did. I never said I would." he answered simply, making Amy giggle again.

Cream's eyes grew wide as she joyfully hugged her friend. "Amy, it's so good to see you okay again. Your dress looks absolutely beautiful!"

Smiling, Amy eased herself out of the young rabbit's grasp. "Thanks Cream. I'm just happy to be able to walk around on my own again. You look beautiful yourself."

Sonic chuckled. "Alright, come on guys, the party's waiting. I hope you remembered to have some chili dogs made, Pres, because I'm starving!"

Almost everyone laughed, and even Shadow and General Tower cracked a small smile.

* * *

Hours later, after the conversing, dinner and exceptionally boring speeches, Shadow stood on the balcony of the White House, leaning against the railing. Gazing up at the night sky, his crimson eyes roamed among the stars, though most were drowned out by the city lights. In the early months of his life, it had been looking down at the Earth below him from the ARK that had calmed him when his mind was in turmoil. Now, it was looking in the opposite direction that reassured him.

"Ah, Shadow, there you are."

Turning, the obsidian hedgehog spotted the President approaching, flanked by a pair of G.U.N. bodyguards. Nodding, Shadow turned back to the railing as the man leaned down beside him. "Apologies sir, I just needed some air."

The President chuckled. "These events can be somewhat tiresome, I know. But it's the price we pay for serving and protecting the people, and heroes deserve to be recognized."

Shadow nodded, but remained silent. _To each our own worlds._ he thought. Standing in silence, the pair gazed up at the sky. After a moment, the President sighed. "Shadow, as far as the public is concerned, Dr. Eggman was stopped and Mecha Shadow was destroyed. But I need you to be candid with me, Shadow." Turning, he gave the obsidian hedgehog a grave look. "Will Mecha Shadow be a threat in the future? Will we have to face another Metal Overlord?"

For a long moment, Shadow remained silent, studying the stars. He had spoken at length with Rose about this very topic. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head. "I'm certain of that we will see Mecha again, perhaps sooner than we think. Will he be a threat...that is a question only Mecha can answer."

The President frowned. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

Opening his eyes, Shadow gazed down at the garden below. "Two and a half years ago, Rouge awoke me from stasis for a second time. All I had was my name and scattered pieces of memory, a conflicting hatred and promise. I had no purpose in life. When the Black Arms came, I was pulled from all sides. Black Doom and Robotnik demanded my obedience and loyalty. Sonic called for my aid and friendship. The G.U.N. was out for my blood. Eventually, I made a choice to protect this planet and all those who live on it." His expression became unreadable. "If Mecha survived the battle aboard the Egg Carrier, then he now faces a similar situation. He stands at a crossroads, to be a force for protection, or destruction."

Turning, he fixed the President with a firm gaze. "For now, though, the only people that Mecha could be a threat to are those who make themselves a threat to him. If you are asking me what path you should choose, sir, my answer is this: leave him be, and let him make his own choices. When next Mecha decides to show himself, and he should prove to be a threat, then I will fight as I always have. Until then, we lose nothing by leaving him to his own devices."

The President remained quiet for a moment, considering Shadow's words. "I see."

"Excuse me, am I interrupting?"

Both of them turned to see Amy standing nearby, an uncertain expression on her face. Smiling in reassurance, the President shook his head. "Not at all. I'll leave you two alone." Turning, he nodded at Shadow. "I appreciate your candidness, Shadow. I hope things turn out for the best."

Shadow nodded in return. "Of course."

Amy frowned as the President walked away, slipping underneath Shadow's arm. "What was that about?" she asked curiously.

Shadow held up a finger, silencing her. Gazing back towards the party, he waited for a moment, then closed his eyes. "You can stop hiding now."

Off to the side, a shadow shimmered and rippled, resolving into Mecha Shadow, making Amy gasp. Standing with his back to the wall, the android looked almost exactly like when she had last seen him on the Egg Carrier. And yet, he was different. The damage to his limbs and torso had been repaired, and the red highlights along his body were now silver. The transparent window in his chest was pitch dark, and bright silver eyes gleamed out of his face. His hands had been redesigned, his claws changed to look like normal rounded fingers.

Glancing around, the android chose to remain in the shadows. "**Thank you. It is good to know that I will not be hunted.**" His voice was different from the last time Amy had heard it, softer and gentler.

Shadow grunted. "I make no promises. The President may decide otherwise."

The android nodded in response. "**I understand. You tried, however, and for that I am grateful.**"

Gazing cautiously, Amy swallowed. "You've...been repaired, Mecha Shadow."

He shook his head. "**I repaired myself. After the jump to the hospital with you, my Chaos Drive shorted out and I was forced to lay low. Thankfully, it's easy to hide when most believe you to be dead. I made my way to one of Dr. Robotnik's former bases, and was able to make some of the more critical repairs.**" His eyes changed, appearing sad, and his hand clutched at his chest. "**It was...not enjoyable. Still, I am glad that you survived, and that my efforts were worth it.**"

Amy smiled hesitantly. "Thank you...you didn't need to do that. What if you had been destroyed?"

The android's eyes altered to appear happy. "**That was a fate that I would have accepted. You both helped me, and so I helped you. Thanks to you, I understand things better now.**"

* * *

Sitting at a table with the others with his fingers locked behind his head, Sonic cast a bored look over the party. Catching sight of Amy and Shadow out on the balcony, he chuckled to himself. "You know, it's gonna be weird seeing those two together."

Nodding in agreement, Knuckles relaxed in his chair. "I know. I still think it's crazy that they're together at all. Who would have expected that it would be Amy to get him to loosen up, or that she'd get over you?" Noting the wistful expression on Sonic's face, he leaned forward and bopped his shoulder. "Hey. You alright?"

For a moment, Sonic was quiet. Finally, he smiled. "Yeah, actually. I'm pretty happy." His smile shifted into a grin. "I'm not gonna miss looking over my shoulder all the time to see if she's gonna jump me." he joked.

Grinning, Knuckles chuckled. "Your turn'll come. Someone's gotta come along that can keep up with you."

Sonic laughed in response. "Yeah right. Nobody can keep up with me."

* * *

Glancing inside at the party, Shadow smiled grimly. "You should go. The longer you stay here, the more likely you will be discovered. For now, people believe you to be dead. It would be preferable if you stayed that way."

Nodding, Mecha Shadow activated his cloaking system and moved to the railing. "**Agreed. I have stayed too long as it is.**"

Frowning, Amy took a step forward. "Wait. What are you going to do next?" she asked curiously.

Pausing with one foot on the railing, the android considered her words. "**There is a great deal that I do not understand, things that I must understand before I can come to a decision. For now, it is better that I stay dead and gone.**" Turning, he adjusted his cloaking system so that he appeared faintly translucent, like a ghost. "**There is one last thing that I must ask of you both. It is a small thing, but it would mean a great deal to me.**"

Amy smiled. "Of course. Anything."

The android's eyes turned happy. "**My name...Mecha Shadow was given to me by Dr. Robotnik. It was to be an engine of destruction. For now, I would ask that you call me Circuit.**"

Circuit. Amy nodded. "Alright. Good-bye Circuit."

Keeping his back to the railing, Shadow kept his expression neutral. "How do you intend to leave? Getting off the grounds undetected won't be easy even with your cloaking, and I'm assuming that you don't have the energy to use Chaos Control." he muttered.

Circuit's silver eyes became amused. "**Correct. My Chaos Drive is still offline and too dangerous to use. I thought that I might leave the same way I came in.**" he commented in an amused tone as he gestured down below, sending out a silent command.

Amy leaned over the railing, and suppressed a gasp of surprise, causing Shadow to lean back and surreptitiously look. Hovering silently below them, as faintly translucent as Circuit himself, was the strangest looking vehicle that Shadow had ever seen. The main part of the vehicle looked like a futuristic jet engine, and set in the middle was an open air cockpit designed like a motorbike or an ATV. Projecting out from the broad front of the machine, forming an arrow shape, was pair of long, sleek wings, thin and cylindrical where they touched the main body, wider and flattened out towards the tips, with a hemispherical object embedded in either side of the flattened section of each wing. Though it was difficult to tell due to the translucent cloak, but the vehicle appeared to have been painted like Circuit himself, black with silver highlights.

Gazing down at the vehicle, Circuit made a data note to make alterations to his face so that he could smile. "**I found it while searching Dr. Robotnik's base for parts with which to fix myself. Its file was labelled as the Metal Booster, and it appeared to have been constructed for Metal Sonic. Apparently he never used it, so I made some modifications to suit my needs. I call it the Chaos Booster.**"

Shadow smirked. He really is a copy of me. he chuckled to himself. "Enough talking. Just having that thing here makes it more likely that you will be discovered, cloaking device or not. Go."

Circuit jumped down from the railing, landing on his vehicle, and both vanished from view. Amy gave a small wave and smiled. "Good luck Circuit. I hope you find what you're looking for." she quietly called out.

A ripple ran through the air below them, followed by a billowing heat wave that warmed Amy's face. Sighing, she turned her gaze skyward and braced her arms against the railing. Beside her, Shadow smiled as he leaned back, cradling his sling-bound arm with his free one. "Do you think we'll see him again?" she idly wondered.

Closing his eyes, Shadow quietly chuckled. "I'm sure we will. People like him don't stay gone for long."

* * *

Within the party, the band began playing a slow, soft tune. At the table, Cream smiled excitedly. "Oh, I like this song. It's very romantic." Standing, she turned to Tails. "Tails, won't you please dance with me?" she pleaded.

Taken off guard, the yellow fox abruptly blushed. "Whu, what? Um...I mean, uh, sure, Cream." he stammered, standing up and following her out onto the dance floor.

Behind him, Knuckles chuckled in amusement. "Man, I do not envy him."

Smiling craftily, Rouge stood up. "Oh, don't sound so disappointed, Knuckie. Don't worry, I'll dance with you." she cooed, pulling the protesting echidna after her, making Sonic chuckle behind his hand.

Watching Cream dancing with the nervous Tails, Vanilla smiled sadly. "She's growing up so quickly. I wish you could see this, Jack." she whispered. Sighing, she stood up and brushed down the front of her dress. "Gemerl, it's been a long time since I danced. Would you be a dear?" she asked.

Nodding, the Gizoid replica stood up and took her arm. "**It would be my pleasure, Vanilla.**"

Sonic watched the unusual pair move out onto the dance floor for a moment, then chuckled and closed his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. After a moment though, a shadow fell across his face. "Hey. Waiting for a dance partner, or can just anyone ask?"

The feminine voice made the azure hedgehog smirk, but he kept his eyes firmly closed. "Sorry. Dancing's not really my thing." he chuckled.

"Well then how about if I ordered you to dance with me?"

Chuckling even louder, Sonic finally opened his eyes. "Well I would ask what makes you think you can?" he quipped back.

Standing above him in a royal purple dress, her arms folded over her chest, was a smirking auburn-haired chipmunk. A small gold tiara sat in her hair, and her blue eyes seemed to dance mischievously. "The fact that I'm a princess." she stated matter-of-factly, though her expression and grin suggested that she was teasing him.

Grinning, Sonic stood up. "Royalty, huh? Just what are you the princess of?" he responded.

Smiling, the brown-furred chipmunk shifted her weight to one foot. "The Kingdom of Acorn. I'm Princess Sally. And you are Sonic the Hedgehog." she grinned.

Grinning, Sonic leaned against his chair. "Oh, so you've heard of me?" he joked.

Sally rolled her eyes. "I might have seen you blazing through our kingdom once or twice. You always seemed far too impatient. And you're pretty impudent in person too."

Chuckling, Sonic straightened. "Well, I always thought that princesses were kinda stuffy and boring myself." Her smirk just amused him even more. _There is something about this girl._ he thought to himself. "But, since you seem to give as good as you get, maybe I will dance with you." he said.

Smiling, Sally held out her hand. "Maybe I'll accept." she answered, allowing him to lead her out onto the floor.

* * *

Out on the balcony, Shadow smirked as he watched the azure hedgehog slow-dancing with the brown chipmunk. _Well, well. Faker has another fan._ Tilting his head, his ear flicked in response to the lilting music drifting through the air. Up on the stage, a young human woman looked like she was preparing to sing. Smiling softly to himself, Shadow slide a sideways glance at Amy, who was busy staring up at the broken moon, of which only a tiny sliver was visible. _Damn, she's beautiful._ he thought, and pushed himself away from the railing. Turning, he held out his hand.

Catching sight of the motion, Amy turned and looked at him quizzically. "What?" she asked, confused.

He smirked again. "Care to dance?" he asked, his tone light.

Surprised, the coral hedgehog slowly smiled, and she accepted his hand. "I didn't know you could dance." she commented, wrapping her arms around his neck as his slid around her waist.

Smiling, Shadow laid her head against his shoulder, pressing his cheek to her spines. "Maria taught me, before the G.U.N. invaded. It was one of the things that she wished to do when she could come to Earth." he told her, his expression slightly sad at the memory.

Smiling reassuringly, Amy closed her eyes and sighed as they swayed to the music. "I wish I could have met her." she said wistfully.

Nodding in response, Shadow closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her body against his. "She would have liked you, Rose."

Long minutes passed, and the pair continued dancing even after the music had ended, utterly oblivious to the world around them. After a while, Amy drew her head back and smiled coyly. "You know, you never did answer my question."

Frowning, Shadow thought back. "Oh? What question was that?"

Smiling, Amy gently bopped his chest. "Why do you call me Rose? Everyone else calls me Amy, but not you. Why?"

A dawning expression crossed Shadow's face, and he smiled. "Ah. That question." Thinking, Shadow found that he finally had an answer. "I call you Rose, because that is what you are."

Amy frowned in confusion. "Huh? I don't get it."

Chuckling, Shadow gently brushed a stray spine out of her face. "You are similar to the flower which you are named in many ways. You have a passion for life, love, and joy, all things that a rose is said to symbolize. However, your temper and love for your friends makes you dangerous to your enemies, like a rose will prick you with its thorns if handled carelessly. But, when handled with care, and love, and left on the vine to grow, a rose will bloom again and again to spread its love and joy to the lives of all who see it." Bowing his head, Shadow touched his forehead to Amy's. "Just as you have done to mine."

Looking at him with a stupefied gaze, Amy smiled and kissed him. "I love you, Shadow."

Smiling, Shadow kissed her back and pulled her close as he gazed up at the sky. For the first time since he had gone into stasis, the obsidian hedgehog felt genuine hope in his heart. If he was being truthful to himself, very little had changed. He was still the top agent with the G.U.N, an organization that once desired his death, and in most regards would not hesitate to kill him should the action become necessary. He was still likely to spend the rest of his life fighting, moving from one mission or battle to another. And he was still likely going to have to face a time when he would have to face the deaths of those who were now close to him.

_ And yet,_ Shadow thought, _everything has changed. There is no guarantee that I will live to see the next sunrise. And even if I do outlive them all, I will still remember them. There may even be others who will follow them. I may spend the rest of my life fighting, but I will be fighting to protect those that I love. I made a promise, not just to Maria, but to Rose as well. For now, that is enough._ All of these things ran through Shadow's mind as he said four words into Amy's ear. "And I you, Rose."


End file.
